Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1881-09-23
FARM AND FIREsIDE.

PRESERVING GRAPES FOR WINTER.
AS autumn approaches, we receive num-
Der of inquiries as to the method of pre-
serving grapes for winter use. 1t is not
generally understood that there is as much
difference in grapes, with respect 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 cult
waited grape, the Concord; it can not be
made to keep in good condition long after
it is fairly ripe. With other varieties it is
different. 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
look for a better variety. The Isabella
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 diff
Guilty in keeping them until the LIST of the
New Year, or later. The grapes are al
lowed to ripen fully; they are picked, and
placed In shallow trays, in which they re-
main in an airy room to scure." The OPP
Grafton of curing consists merely in sort
of willing, by which the skin becomes
toughened, and will not break when the
fruit is packed. The clusters, when prop
erly ''cured,'' are packed in boxes, usually
of three or five pounds each. The bottom
of the box is opened, the large clusters laid
in carefully, and smaller branches 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 such that when the top of
the box is opened, the grapes next to it
are found to be somewhat fattened. The
fruit must be pressed in such a 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 prop
erlv cured, If clusters were placed in the
box as they come from the vines, and sub
jected 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 go to New Y ork market in ex-
cellent condition. New varieties of grapes,
of great excellence, have recently been in
troduced, but we have yet to learn as to
their keeping qualities. With the Con-
cord 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 considerably prolonged.
The late Mr.. Knox found that he could
keep 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 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 keep-American Agri-
cogturiSt.