The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-09-24
Preserving Grapes for Winter.

AS autumn approaches, we receive
number of inquiries as to the method of
preserving grapes for winter use. 1t is
not generally understood that there is
as much difference in grapes, with re-
spect to their keeping, as there is with
other fruits. No one would expect to
keep Early Harvest apples or Bartlett
pears for the holidays, and it is so with
the most generally cultivated grape, the
Concord; it can not be made to keep in
good condition long after it is fairly
ripe. With other varieties 1T is differ
emit. There are some Localities where
that grand old grape, the Catawba, can
still be cultivated with success. and,
where this is the case, one need hardly
to look for better variety. The lsa-
bella still succeeds in some places, and
is fair keeper. Better than either, if
not the best of all grapes, the Iona gives
good crops in some places, as does the
Diana. Where either of these, the
Isabella, Catawba, Iona or Diana,
can be grown, there is no difficulty in
keeping them until the first of the New
Year, or later. The grapes are allowed
to ripen fully; they are picked, and
placed in shallow trays, in which they
remain in an airy room to "cure." The
operation of curing consists merely in
sort of willing, by which the skin be-
comes toughened, and will not break
when the fruit is packed. The clusters,
when properly ''cured," are packed in
boxes, usually of three or five pounds
each. The bottom of the box is opened,
the larger clusters laid IN carefully, and
smaller punches packed in upon them
in such a manner that it will require
moderate pressure to bring the
cover Tor, properly, the bottom,)
of the box to its place, where it is
nailed down. The pressure used is
opened the grapes next to it are found
to be somewhat flattened. The fruit
must be pressed in such manner that
it can not shake in travel, and this can
only be done with grapes the skin of
which has been toughened by being
properly cured. If clusters were placed
in the box as they come from the vines,
and subjected to the needed pressure,
the skin would crack around the stems,
liberating the juice, and the whole
would soon pass into decay. Towards
Christmas and New Years MANY tons
of the varieties we have named come to
the New York market in excellent con-
dition. New varieties OF grapes of
great excellence. have recently been
introduced, but we have yet to learn as
to their keeping qualities. With the
Concord and related varieties the skin
is too tender to allow of long keeping,
and it does not seem to tougher in the
curing process. Still, with these, the
season for home use may be considera-
bly, prolonged. The late Mr.. Knox
found that he could keep the Concord
for some time by placing the thoroughly
ripened clusters in baskets or boxes,
with the leaves of the vine below and
between them. We do not know how
long this will keep these grapes, but
we saw some in excellent condition
several weeks after the harvest was
over Those who set grape-vines should
be aware that no one variety will meet
every requirement, and that the earlier
the variety the less likely it will be to
prove a good keeper. Agrt-
cuLturiSt.