The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1886-04-23
Best Keeping Grapes,


ID. S. Marvin, the veteran grape
grower, says: 1t is being generally
conceded that health is conserved by
eating fruit In winter; that grapes are
much superior TO other kinds of fruit
for hygienic uses, as they are more
delicate, furnished with higher medi-
cinal rs well as nutritious qualities, |
desire therefore to record few notes
as to the keeping capabilities of our
several classes, their hybrids and va
rites. / started in with some 32 va
rites, picked and laid in boxes, and
stored in cool room until freezing
weather, when they were carried to ali
ordinary cellar. l prefer this simple
plan after having in former years test
ed all the various ways Of storing them
q have no facilities for cold storage),
becaute they seem to retain their flavor,
can be inspected at any time and seem
less subject to decay.
The chief dangers to be guarded a
gainst are, first, drying or shrinking;
this can be met by picking late and
keeping the room cool. Second, damp
ness of the cellar, causing the stems to
mould this l met by bringing the trays
into dry heated room for day, then
returning them to the cellar, for if the
stems are kept from molding, the
grapes keep as well as apples. This is
always the danger point; and must be
met by carefully watching and con-
trolling by drying dry air ia always a
fatal enemy to the termination and
growth of all cryptogamic life.
When this care is given we can keep
grapes all winter as well as other fruit.
But not all kinds of grapes there is as
much difference in the keeping capa-
bilities of our different classes, their
hybrds and varieties, as there is in opr
different varieties of apples. We do
not now distinguish and pay sufficient
attention to growing the best keeping
varieties. Indeed it is very unfortu-
nate that our Northern Labrusca va
rieties are most cultivated we there
by deprive ourselves of the benefits of
this fruit in winter when we need it
most. This class of grapes are all tenn
porary, the Concord family among the
worst offenders, consequently OF the
least public value nor will they even
make decent wine. They are fruity,
not vinous, hardness of vine their only
redeeming quality they should only
be grown where other and better
grapes do not succeed.
a., &c &bo oaI ,,nra uori.f;pc
saved for my experiment, Concord,
Champion, Cottage, Delaware, Early
Victor, Eva, Elvira, Hartford, Lady,
Martha, Moores, Pocklington, Worden
and Victoria lost flavor, decayed and
were gone months ago. The next to
go were Adirondack, Brighton, Belvi-
dere, Humbolt, Israella, Telegraph,
Union Village, Vergennes, Walter and
Wyoming Red.
Those that | have now, February 10,
in good eating condition are Agawam,
Catawbs, Eumelan, Iona, Lindley,
Merrimac, Salem, Wilder, and a new
white Seeding of Eumelan that have
named Julia that keeps better than its
parent.
1t will be observed that Brighton
and some of the other foreign hybrids
do not keep well this is explained by
their past Concord parentage. Another
result shown is that hybrids between
our Estivals and the foreigners keep
better than Northern Labrusca and for
eign hybrids. / also saved fruit from
a number of our new grapes but hard
ly enough to record careful experiments.
l place Lindley at the head as the best
grape and the best keeper of the old
| sorts.