THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
473 
Quiz Column 
The Giant Grape Vine, Nitrate of Soda Again 
National Nurseryman Publishing Co., 
Rochester, N. V. 
Gentlemen: 
1. I notice an article in your November number in 
regard to a giant grape vine at Hampton Court, England. 
Will you kindly let us know if it will be possible to secure 
any cuttings from this vine, if so, how to go about it. Are 
the grapes large and of fine product? 
2. I also notice a letter from West Bros., Damasus, Ohio, 
that they had great success with nitrate of soda on a block 
of apples using it according to your instructions. Will you 
please let us know when to apply, how much to apply, and, 
greatly oblige. Like Mr. West, we certainly are pleased 
with your paper and think we could not get along without it. 
We enclose stamped envelope for reply. 
The Globe Nurseries, 
Per W. M. W t ood. 
Answer. —i. The grape vine described in our Novem¬ 
ber number is a specimen of the Black Hamburg variety and 
a very wonderful example of the development of that well 
known kind. This variety belongs to the European species 
Vitis vinifera, which does not succeed in this country except 
on the Pacific Coast and in certain parts of the arid South¬ 
west. While it would probably ripen with you in either 
Virginia or Tennessee it is not likely that it would prove to 
be adapted to your locality. The European grape has 
never succeeded, although tried many times, in Eastern 
United States. 
It is possible though doubtful, that cuttings might be 
secured by writing the steward of Hampton Castle, Hamp¬ 
ton Court, England. The fruit of Black Hamburg is one of 
the standards grown under glass in this country and pro¬ 
duces a bunch of large size and very good quality. 
2. We have answered several letters on the question of 
using a quick acting fertilizer like Nitrate of Soda on nursery 
stock which seemed to need a tonic. In the case of apple 
stock or other nursery stock requiring something in the way 
of food which would stimulate growth we would suggest 
applying the fertilizer early in June in your locality. This 
means that the first application should be made early in the 
early part of the month and a second application towards 
the end of the month. Probably 500 lbs. to the acre in 
these two applications would be sufficient. Nitrate of Soda 
becomes available as soon as there is water enough in the 
soil to dissolve it. It should be applied on the surface and 
worked in very lightly. In the case of young nursery stock 
it should be applied along the line of the row. Care should 
be taken to distribute it evenly for large doses may do more 
harm than good.— Editor. 
Port Arthur, Tex.—C. D. Otis, a nurseryman of Lake 
Charles, La., is, it is understood, seeking the promotion of a 
plan to convert the famous Gates experimental farm into a 
nursery and experimental farm for the propagation of fruit 
and other trees,^and on which are to be built greenhouses 
and other buildings for growing ferns and palms. 
Business JVIovcments 
Rice Brothers Company of Geneva, N. Y., has certified 
to the secretary of the state of New York that it has in¬ 
creased its capital stock from $35,000 to $45,000. The 
certificate is signed by John P. Rice and Terrance W. Rice. 
During the month of January, N. G. Merritt, Dunkirk, 
N. Y., and Nelson Boque, Batavia, N. Y., called at the 
National Nurseryman office. 
The Willedean Nurseries, Warsaw, Ky., has issued a 
beautiful calendar for the current year. A forest scene is 
represented in colors true to nature. 
Geo. S. Josselyn, the foremost fisherman among nursery¬ 
men, was in Rochester, to attend the meeting of the Western 
New York Horticultural Society, January 26-27. 
T. P. Rice of Rice Bros., Geneva, N. Y., attended the 
meeting of the Western New York Horticultural Society at 
Rochester, N. Y. 
During the month of January many prominent nursery¬ 
men of New York were in Rochester for the meeting of the 
New York Fruit Grower’s Society and the Western New 
York Horticultural Society. W. C. Barry is president of 
the latter. 
DEMAND KEEN IN KANSAS * 
Editor National Nurseryman, 
Dear Sir: 
In answer to your favor of December 3d, asking us to 
send you a few lines on any phase of the nursery work that 
we care to write about, will say that our ideas are about 
the same as we have already expressed thru your columns. 
Trees of quality are in demand by planters all over the 
United States far in excess of the supply. Planters are 
willing to pay for these trees, four times as much money as 
other trees are being offered at, which do not meet require¬ 
ments. The man who has genuine goods at this time is not 
afraid to have them inspected and examined by strict tree 
inspectors. Our experience has been in shipping a great 
many carloads of stock to western planters, where the state 
inspectors are very strict that we have always been dealt 
with in a courteous and just way. 
In short the nursery business is undergoing a change. 
The people who are progressive and up to date, furnishing 
improved stock will be successful and the nurseries who still 
furnish root knot Apple, crown gall trees and those affected 
by aphis covered with a liberal dose of mud will find in our 
judgment a considerable amount of grief and will probably 
be great kickers about the injustices being done them. 
For true horticulturists and progressive nurserymen, 
growing stock of quality, the field is great, and the future 
bright, while for the opposite class the field is dark and the 
future outlook worse. 
The Winfield Nursery Co., 
Per J. Moncriff. 
Carlinville, III. Will B. Otwell is discontinuing his 
nursery business and is advertising his growing stock for 
sale. 
