Smyrna times., 1888-06-27
The Crane BIight.


The grape crop that started out so
promising, and passed through the con
test with the rose bug successfully in
the main, by the owners keeping up a
diligent fight, has in the past three
days been struck by a blight or rot
that promises for market purpose, the
destruction Of the crop. Last year this
new element Of destruction which
came on at the time Of the hardening
of the seed the latter part Of July was
attributed entirely to the excessively
wet, steamy weather This year the
rot strikes them when they are Just
cleverly out of the blossom state and
the weather dry, but very hot for June.
And in the absence Of any other known
cause, the heated term which has now
prevailed for a week is charged with
it.
1t is, in the present aspect, new,
perpleXing and discouraging thing to
our vinyardsts. There was no APP
pearauce before Saturday or Sunday
and by yesterday more than half of the
grapes on the punches were shrinking
and blackening If the others do not
60, the grapes will be too slragling on
There is a possible hope in a remedy
that was tried for the purpose Of cir
cumventing the rosebug, viz bagging
them. This was plainly shown in sew
eral specimens cut from the vines and
brought to town yesterday by Henry
S. Anthony. A good many thousands
Of MANILA paper bags were got by f.
! w. Lapf am and Jas. w. and II. s.
| Anthony TO tie around their grapes to
protect them. But the proper time to
do this was a question, that is, Wheth-
! er before or after blOssOming, some be-
ing Of the opinion that il the bunch was
tied.up in bag before it blossomed, it
would not fructify. However, to test
the matter, the above named gentle
men tried some in all the stages, before
the blossoms had opened, VIII le in the
blossom state and after the berry had
formed. Several sections of vines
which Mr.. Anthony had yesterday
showed very plainly which was the
best method. The punches that were
begged before the opening of the bios
SONS and which had remained entirely
protected, were not only free from
blight, but were strange to say, as
large again as those on the same twia
left to develop in the natural way
Those that were bagged while in bios
som, or where the bag had become
torn were partially effected, while those
that had only been bagged a week OIL
ten days showed but little superiority
to those exposed to the sun and air.
Mr.. Anthony, above referred to, has
some 1900 that were bagged before o.
while in the blossom state, and will
what has been put on since, about "a,
600 The others perhaps as many, pu
on mostly as is now shown, too late
Mr.. Anthony says that in putting ol
/ the bags, making the attachment witt
a pin, he could put on 100 in an hour
, We hear that the vineyards of Wal
ter T. Massey, Levi S. Anthony, J. u
r Scout, Robert Denney. Capt. A. Scout
VIM. Polk Cummins, and if these per
, haps those ofall the growers, are SIM
larly affected. Mr.. Cumnins we hea
, had some 10000 punches on his vine
= bagged, but if true as we hear that the
| are badly blighted, it has been doubt
g less done since tie blossomin
l period. The grape has been develop
e ing into one of our large fruit crop.
= standing with many next to the peacl
e and this new experience will have
/. depressing effect on its cultivation.