212 
THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
plant with well developed root systems, a warm, friable, 
well drained soil, highly stored with humus and available 
plant food, is essential. 
The southeast shore boundary of Lake Erie has long been 
noted as a grape growing region. For more than half a 
century vineyards have been cultivated and grapes have 
been grown successfully in that section. The special reason 
for this is that the type of soil prevailing meets the some¬ 
what exacting requirements of the grape. 
their way into the lake, causing the valleys surrounding the 
streams to develop currents of air providing a desirable type 
of air as well as soil drainage. The soil, then, as a whole is 
characterized by mellowness, warmness, and porosity, the 
exact requirements of the grape and the features demanded 
by the nurseryman who is in the plant growing busi¬ 
ness. It is for this reason that the Chautauqua and Erie 
County regions have become so famous as grape-growing 
sections. 
OPENING THE FURROW AND COVERING THE CUTTINGS 
STARK BROTHERS COMPANY 
A MARINE OR LACUSTRINE SOIL 
The soil in this region is an example of the marine type so 
frequently found on the borders of the Great Lakes, but this 
old shore line of Lake Erie exhibits the peculiarities of its 
make-up in a rather remarkable degree. It consists of 
stratified gravels into which has been worked a considerable 
quantity of silt, loam, and humus. The drainage is perfect, 
and the soil being richly supplied with humus has high water 
holding capacity. This soil was deposited in shallows off 
the shore line and was subsequently raised above waterlevel. 
These lands are often deeply gashed by streams working 
ACTIVITIES OP STARK BROTHERS 
This well known firm of nurserymen with its headquarters 
established at Louisiana, Missouri, has in obedience to the 
law of adaptation established plant growing branches in 
different parts of the country for the production of special 
classes of nursery stock, as their judgment and experience 
have dictated. With a general ornamental and herbaceous 
and fruit tree plant at Louisiana, with a special fruit stock 
nursery at Fayetteville, Ark., for the trade of the South¬ 
west, with a cherry, plum, pear, and apple branch in the 
Valley of the Genesee at Dansville, Western New York, they 
