Gbe IRational IRurseryim 
FOR GROWERS AND DEALERS IN NURSERY STOCK 
Copyrighted 1908 by the National Nurseryman Publishing Co., Incorporated. 
Vol. XVI. ROCHESTER, N. Y., DECEMBER, 1908 No. 12 
EDITORIAL WANDERINGS 
A Short Cruise Among Fredonia Grape Growers 
I T was the editor’s privilege not long since to make a 
hasty trip through the grape growing region of Lake 
Erie. The Chautauqua section of this region was 
one of his familiar stamping grounds a few summers ago 
when the leaf hopper and grape root worm were on the 
rampage. Fortunately for the careless grower these insects 
have been much less active the last year or two than former¬ 
ly and as entomologist Slingerland says, the “Hopper pendu¬ 
lum’’ seems to be on the 
down swing. Whether it 
will have another innings 
again in the near future is 
of course an unanswerable 
question. The cautious 
grower, however, will keep 
a watchful eye on his vines. 
Fredonia is the hot bed 
and propagating center of 
grape vines. The reputa¬ 
tion of this place was long 
since established by such 
pioneers as Josselyn and 
Hubbard. Indeed, the 
great grape industry of 
Chautauqua had its incep¬ 
tion not far from Fredonia in the little town of Portland. 
Here it was that Concord was introduced with great success 
after disheartening failure had followed many attempts to 
grow European varieties or their hybrids. 
Of course the type of soil is a governing factor in the 
growing of all crops but particularly is this true in the case 
of the grape. Certain it is that ideal conditions for the 
growing of grape stock are found in the deep, warm, gravelly 
soils of the old Lake Erie beach. Warmth, moisture, hold¬ 
ing capacity and thorough natural drainage seem to be all 
combined most advantageously from the standpoint of the 
grape grower. 
To return to our visit. Coming down from Buffalo on 
the Lake Shore, the traveller alights at Dunkirk and runs 
over to Fredonia a couple of miles distant by trolley. 
Dunkirkers are wont to call Fredonia one of its suburbs, 
whether to the liking of the Fredonia people or not, we are 
unable to say. At any rate it is a pleasant little town with 
a handsome normal school and many attractive residences. 
On arriving, the grape interested visitor will certainly 
he has attended meetings of the American Association of 
Nurserymen. “Papa’s’’ office is right in town not far from 
his comfortable home where he dispenses hearty hospitality, 
assisted by his good wife. By the way, a feature of this 
home is “Papa’s Den,” which is at once a work of art and a 
haven of comfort—a generous fire-place, great easy chairs 
and other mamy appurtenances are all there. It’s a hard 
recall pleasant memories of “Papa Josselyn,” especially if 
place to get away from! 
Under the guidance of 
Mr. Josselyn we saw some 
fine fields of grape stock. 
The season, notwithstand¬ 
ing dryness in the latter 
part, has on the whole been 
very favorable. We saw 
excellent blocks of Moores’ 
and Delaware varieties that 
are specially sensitive to 
adverse conditions, and of 
course large areas of such 
standards as Niagara, 
Concord and Worden. 
For a wholesaler, Geo. S. 
Josselyn probably carries 
a larger number of varieties 
than any other firm in the country. Among the principal 
grape firms in the section are: T. S. Hubbard Co., Geo. S. 
Josselyn, Lewis Roesch & Son, Foster & Griffith. 
A rather curious condition prevails this season : while 
the market for the fruit is very, quiet the demand for 
vines keeps up and most growers are practically sold out. 
It shows that planters have faith in the future of the indus¬ 
try and are not disquieted as yet by the great possibilities 
which the wave of prohibition now sweeping over the coun¬ 
try may carry with it. 
The past season has been very favorable to the growth 
of the vine and the growers are well pleased. 
The standards of two years ago remain at the head and 
great fields of Concord, Worden and Niagara are always in 
evidence in this region. 
Not all the growers dig and cellar over winter, but in 
general, digging and grading were the orders of the day at 
the time of our visit. 
