Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1874-06-17
FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.
Overbearing OF Grape Vines.

Most grape growers, and In fact the
growers Of all kinds of fruit, are ambi-
tious to raise the largest possible crop,
without reference to the permanent good
of the vine or the tree. They overlook
the fact that the vine or the tree is ca
pable of doing about SO much and no
more. and aim for the highest imme-
diate profit rather than to prospective
one. It is true that the amount which
strong and healthy grapevine is capa-
bic Of bearing depends little upon the
character of the season, but we cannot
always tell what the season is to be.
It IS wisest therefore to thin the fruit
somewhat early in the season, in order
that it may not draw too heavily upon
the vitality Of the plant.
This matter is so important and so
apt to be neglected, that we are glad
to quote the judicious remarks of DR..
Fisher IN his Address before the State
Board of Agriculture at Fitchburg in
December last, as given in the last re-
port Of the Secretary Of the Board.
He said 'grapes from vine that is
overloaded are only purple, not when
they are ripe, but when they have got
as ripe as they can get; they have little
or no bloom, ana they are acid they
will make a mans stomach ache if he
eats many of them ; but if the vine is
not overloaded, the berries are large,
the grapes are black, the bloom is a
very deep blue, and the quality is such
as will make people deny that you grew
the grapes out of doors they will say
that it cannot be done, that you cannot
get SO much sugar and so much high
quality into grape out of doors. A
grapevine can do certain amount; it
is like eevry thing else, and just like
every body else. If an ordinary man
attempts to spread himsel out very
wide, he will necessarily become very
thin.
If the public would make no dis
elimination in the quality, of course
you would grow the larger quantity,
but the public know better. especially
In the matter of luxuries. It is largely
the beautiful things that people are in
duced to buy. IF clusters Of grapes are
large, if they are handsome, people will
buy them if they are sweet, they will
go for them again, and are willing 20
pay the difference In cost Grapes
have been sold in the market this year.
tons and tons of them, that were not fit
to eat; but the public bought them, as
being the best they could fad.
Another thing: great many people
do not wait until grapes get ripe before
picking. Some of them never would
get ripe if they did wait, but they do
not wait to let them get their best
quality; as quick as they get half col
ored they are sent to market, and peo-
pie eat what comes to market, asking
no questions. They may say they are
not very good, but they buy them never
theless.
1 do net begin to market my grapes
until after the first Of October. Per
haps you may say it won't do for NE to
do that, because my grapes would freeze
up before that time. It is not so with
me. Ordinary frosts do not hurt the
grape at all. It is not hurt a particle
until you make ice in it, and after the
grape has got ripe. it will not freeze,
ice will not make in it, until the tenn
perature is as low as twenty-nine de-
grees. I dislike to have frost come
upon a vineyard, because it will retard
the ripening by its action on the leaves.
but II grapes are nearly ripe, [ care
nothing for the frost, so far as the
grapes themselves are concerned. y
Massachusetts Ploughman.
Agricultural Value of Anthracite Ashes.
In The Bulletin of the Bussey Insti-
tuition Of Harvard University, lately
issued, are accounts of several series of
Investigations undertaken by Prof.
Storer and his assistants, which are
not only interesting and valuable in
themselves, but also very encouraging
IN the prospect they give for the Guilt
walton of agricultural science in this
country. Among these are several ex-
periments 6 On the Agricultural Value
OF the Ashes of Anthracite" In these
experiments pots were charged with
ashes OF Pennsylvania anthracite coal
and planted with oats, barley, buck
wheat, beans, maize, &c. In some
cases they were watered with rain-water
alone III others with solutions of nitric
acid or phosphoric acid, combined with
lime, magnesla, potash, ammonia, or of
several OF these together. The ashes
used were free from wood ashes. thus
differing from those commonly pro-
duced in stores and furnaces.
Raised IN the ashes with rain-water
alone, says Prof. Storer, 'snone of the
plants really prospered. The beans
and peas grew to a considerable height.
but it was plain that the matter of
which the new parts were formed came
chiefly from the older parts. The nitro
gen, at all events, needed tor the forma-
tiea of new leaves and stems was APP
parently the same that had taken part
in the formation of the first shoots from
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