The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1881-09-08
Preserving Grapes for Winter.

As autumn approaches, we receive q number
of inquiries as to the method of preserving
grapes for winter use. 1t is not generally
derstood that there is as much difference in
grapes, with respect TO their keeping, rs there is
of other fruits No one would expect to keep
Early Harvest Apples or Bartlett pears for the
holidays. and II is with the most generally
cultivated grape, the Concord; it cannot be
made to keep in good condition long after it is
fairly ripe With other varieties il is different.
There some localities where that grand old
grape, the Catawba, can still be cultiya ted with
success and, where this is the case, need
hardly look for better variety. The Isabella
still succeeds in some places, and is fair keep
er Better than eithir, if not the best of all
grapes, the Iona gives good crops in some places,
does the Diana Where either of these, the Is
abeiia, Catawba, Iona or Diana he grown,
there is no difficulty in keeping them until the
New Year, or later. whe grapes are allowed to
ripen fully; they are picked, and placed in shall
low trays, in which they remain in an airy room
TO '4eure.' The operation Of curing consists
merely in a sort of willing by which the skin be-
comes tOughened, and will not break when the
fruit is packed. The clusters, when properly
''eured, are packed in boxes, usually of three
or five pounds eoch. The bottom of the box is
opened, and the larger clusters laid in carefully,
and smaller punches packed in upon them in
such a manner that il will require a moderate
pressure TO bring the cover (Or properly the bot
toni 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 il
are found to be somewhat fiattened The fruit
must be pressed in such a manner that it cannot
shake in travel, and this can only be done with
grapes the skin of which has been toughened by
being properly cured. fclusters were placed in
the box they came from the vines and sub
jected so the needed pressure, the skin would
crack around the stems, hberating the juice and
the whole would soon pass into decay. Towards
Christmas aud New Years, many tons of the va
rieties we have named come to the New York
market in excellent condition, New varieties of
grapes, of great excellence, have recently been
introduced but we have yet to learn to their
keeping qualities. With the Concord and relat-
ed 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 may he considerably prolonged. The
late Mr.. Knox found that he could keep the Con-
cord for some time by placing the thoroughly ri
pened grapes 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 aftor the harvest was over. Those who
set grape vines should be aware that no va
riety will meet every requirement. and that the
earlier the variety, the less likely it will he to
keep.-4merieaR 4gricHltHrist, Sept. l.