River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1874-06-19
FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.


Most grape growers, and in fact the
growers of all kinds of fruit, are ambi-
tious to raise the largest possible crop,
without reference tothe permanentgood
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-
date profit rather than to prospective
one. 1t is true that the amount which
a strong and healthy grapevine is capa-
BILE OF bearing depends little upon the
character of the season, but we cannot
always tell what the season is to be.
1t is wisest therefore to thin the fruit
somewhat carly 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 t. be neglected, that we are glad
to quote the iudicious remarks of DIR.
Fisher in his Address before the State
Board of Agriculture at Fitchbumg in
December last, as given in the last re-
port of the Secretary of the Board.
He said "grapes from a vine that is
overloaded are only purple, not when
they are ripe, but when they have got
as ripe rs they can get; they have little
or no bloom, and 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 "A certain amount; it
is like eevry thing else, and lust like
every body else. If an ordinary man
attempts Is 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. 1t 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 to
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 find.
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 themnever-
theless.
j do not begin to market my grapes
until after the first of October. Per.
haps you may say it won't do for me tO
do that, because my grapes wouldfreel
up before that time. IL is not SO with
me. Ordinary frosts do not hurt the
grape at all. 1t is not hurt n particle
until you make ice in it, and after the
grape has got ripe. 1t will not freeze,
ice will not make III it, until the tenn
perature is as low as twenty-nine de-
grees. / dislike to have frost come
upon "A vineyard, because it will retard
the ripening by it's action ON the leaves.
but if grapes are nearly ripe, / care
nothing for the frost, SO far as the
grapes themselves are concerned. ~
Massdchusehs Ploughmda.