I lO 
THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN. 
will be a uniform size of baskets used by all members 
of the Union. 
Each section has a local manager and at least two 
inspectors. The local manager is stationed at a railroad 
shipping station, and the inspectors at places convenient 
for the proper inspection of the fruit. No mark is 
placed on the cover of the basket, except the name of 
the variety, the Union stamp, and number of the grower. 
All grapes lose their identity as soon as they pass the 
local manager, and by him they are reported at the 
Union office. 
The executive committee meets each day and sets 
the price of grapes to all F. O. B. for the next twenty- 
four hours. Grapes not sold are consigned to parties in 
the cities of New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore 
and Washington. Daily pools of sales and consign¬ 
ments are made, each variety by itself, until October i, 
after that weekly. The expenses of the Union are pro¬ 
vided for by the retention of one-half cent per each 
four and one-half pound basket, and one cent for each 
nine pound basket, and no more. September 2d, the 
first shipment, consisting of i8 baskets of Delawares, 
was made to Messrs. Strang, Adams & Wade, of Wash¬ 
ington, D. C. The shipment September 26 was 115,000 
baskets. The sales department is in charge of Hon. 
Everett Brown ; and Jasper O. Smith, a practical book¬ 
keeper, is the financial secretary. The Yates County 
National Bank is the chief depository, all funds being 
placed there, and afterwards sent to other banks in 
the district convenient to the growers, who are sent 
checks upon their home banks once a week for all pools 
perfected. These banks have given bonds. The treas¬ 
urer and financial secretary are also under bonds for the 
faithful performance of their duties. The sole object of 
this organization is to market the fruit at the least ex¬ 
pense to the grower, and after the expenses are paid out 
of the amount retained, the balance will be distributed 
among the members pro rata, according to the number 
of baskets each one has shipped. 
The value of the vineyards in the Union is estimated 
at $4,000,000, and that of the appurtenances 12,000,000 
four and one-half pound baskets. A large amount of 
the fruit is being sold in western markets, thus relieving 
the eastern markets of much that has heretofore been 
sent there. The prices are not what might be desired, 
yet the promise of a good yield of most excellent fruit 
will do much toward disposing of it. Already comes 
tfie assurance from parties handling this fruit that grapes 
from the Union are in better demand than from parties 
outside, on account of better packing and heavier 
weights. The system of marketing by proper distribu¬ 
tion and inspection has already demonstrated the bene¬ 
fits to be derived from a well conducted organization. 
The Union has opposition, as every move in advance of 
old methods has always had, but with every department 
carefully guarded, officers in perfect accord as to details, 
there can be no reason why this, one of the greatest 
undertakings of the day, should fail. Mistakes will no 
doubt be made, yet the principles which underlie the 
structure are correct, and it is hopeful that success in a 
great measure will crown the efforts of the incoporators. 
Fair treatment only is asked of competitors, as the fine 
quality of the fruit in the lake country, and the superior 
facilities for transportation offered by the different rail¬ 
roads that have shipping stations in the district, place the 
markets of the country in a way to be supplied with 
fruit from this, the oldest grape-growing region in the 
United States, in good condition. The first shipment 
was made by Lemuel Hastings, in 1849. The package 
was a barrel, and the grapes were packed in cedar 
shavings, planed by Captain Smith S. Fairchild, of 
Hammondsport, N. Y. 
It will be seen that from a small beginning has grown 
an industry, including the making of wine, to be second 
to none in the world. 
THE CHAUTAUQUA GRAPE BELT. 
A recent visit to the vineyards of Northern Chau¬ 
tauqua discloses a scene of activity that must be seen to 
be appreciated. The harvesting of the main crop has 
begun in good earnest. It is now generally conceded 
that in no place in the United States is the Concord 
Grape grown to such perfection as in this locality. 
What is known as the Chautauqua Grape Belt extends 
from Silver Creek, N. Y., on the east, to Harbor Creek, 
Penn., on the west, comprising a strip of country about 
thirty-five miles in length and varying in width from two 
to four miles, and including the towns of Hanover, 
Sheridan, Pomfret, Dunkirk, Portland, Westfield and 
Ripley in New York and the towns of North East and 
Harbor Creek in Penn. According to statistics there were 
in 1892, 17, 500 acres of bearing vineyards in this belt. 
Of this acreage the town of Portland, in which is located 
the villages of Portland and Brocton, contains nearly 
one-third of the whole amount, Westfield, Ripley and 
Pomfret about one-third more. North East about 2, 500 
acres, with the balance scattered through the other 
towns mentioned. 
The Lake Shore & Michigan Southern and Nickel 
Plate railroads, and the W. N. Y. & P. R. R. from Buf¬ 
falo as far west as Brocton, traverse this section, afford¬ 
ing unexcelled shipping facilities. The grapes are 
shipped to all parts of the United States. The product 
is handled by various shippers and associations of which 
the Chautauqua and North East Grape Union handle 
the largest amount. In no section of the country have 
the handling of fruit, picking, packing and marketing 
been brought to such perfection as here. 
Shipment of early varieties began about September 
ist, or a little before, but at this date (September 25th) 
