Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-08-13
GRAPES.
THE ALsswA1LB GRAPE. AND FRUIT.
GROWERS ASSOCIATION.
Valuable Reports Submitted at the Last
Mceting-1lection OF
officers.


Correspondence of the Richmond Dispatch.
CHARLOTTESVILLE, August 18th
At the meeting of the Grape ant
Fruit Growers Association yesterday
two members of the Visiting Committed
! made reports On the present coaditior
of vineyards in Albemarle county fren
which we're obtained some valuable
| facts for the guidance Of fruit-growers
in the future. These reports were con-
sidered 80 valuable that include them
in this letter for the benefit Of grape
growers elsewhere.
Mr.. Woolnough reported: "The rot
has been most extensive everywhere,
especially among the Concords. With
me the Nortons seem free from rot
entirely and the Ives and Hart
fsrds have escaped very fairly. The
Taylors and Clintons are nearly all
gone, and the >Concords, Catawbas,
and Champions completely. With me
the rot began on June 18th, while
some places escaped until the middle
of June, and / believe tho disease
is still spreading. / was asked to
report officially upon the Herman,
which have cultivated for some years.
have found it the most vigorous.grow-
ing and bearing vine I have even seen,
never failing to set and mature heavy
crop; but II is tho worst grape for rot
ting this year. In detached vineyard
consisting of Herman and Norton plant
ed alternately the Nortons are all good
and the Hermans entirely gone."
Mr.. w. w. Minor reported:
81. The grape-rot has been far
worse this season than ever before, and
has attack ed vines, to q greater or less
extent, of all varieties cultivated among
us, and every vineyard.
90. The older vineyards have SUI
fered most in every variety.
SO. The kinds which have lost most
heavily are Concords, Catawbas, Mar
thas, Clintons. Delawares, and the Hy-
birds, while Ives and Elvira have suf-
fered least.
a.. The Nortons virginia., heretofore
considered our most certain variety,
and almost always exempt from rot,
has been in most vineyards severely at
tackled this season, and a heavy loss
sustained, amounting in many cases to
from two thirds to five eighths of the
crop, and averaging fully one half. This
variety has been very considerably
affected by mildew, both on leaf and
berry, the loss occasioned from this
cause being, in several vineyards at
least, quite serious.
s. The grapes planted on thin land
have, in every case seen, rotted less
than the same varieties on rich land.
A striking example of this is seen in
the vineyard of Mr.. Thurman, where
on rich land the Concords have nearly
all rotted, while on poor land immedi-
ately adjoining they have almost full
crop but on similarly thin land, but
we'll fortified with bone, the rot ap-
pears almost as serious as on the land
naturally rich.
6. In the vineyards of my section
Northern Albemarle) I consider the
prospect for this years crop in the
leading varieties about as follows:
Concord, Catawba, and Martha will
average one tenth Of full crop; Hart
ford and Delaware one fourth; Nor
tons virginia. and Cynthiana one half;
Clinton and Lady two thirds; Ives,
ElviIa, and Belviderc nipe tenths, while
Rogers and other by birds have practi-
cally all rotted. The only rene
dy or means of prevention used
for rot this year in my Sec
ton, so far as / am informed, has been
to work the vines on the plan recon-
mended by Colonel Pearson, of New
Jersey-the supplementary picking off
and bury ing all berries affected as they
appear beng left untried because en-
tire impracticable, the rot having spread
much too rapidly.
~. Vineyards in my neighborhood
have been insufliciently worked, due, in
large part, to the extremely wet sea-
son. The result will be an extremely
poor growth in the young paintings.
IS. In fruits other than grapes /
find apples are generally fair crop
Vinesaps a full one peaches full
crop, but heavy loss incurred from rot,
owing to the vet weather, and particu-
larly among the earlier varieties. Pears
moderate crop some orchards badly
damaged by the blight. Damsons and
other plums have less than an average
crop"
The following officers were chosen for
the ensuing year Ii. l.. Lyman, presi-
dent; II. NJ. Magruder, A. l.. Holla-
day, vice-presidents James Wear
mouth, secretary; Oscar Reierson, re-
cording secretary; Moses kaufman,
treasurer. QUIZ.