Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1892-10-28

T. into pennsylvania along Lake
Erie, forming belt of land which an
nually yields from fifty to sixty thousand
tons of table grapes for market. While
this represents the amount sold in the
markets as table grapes, there are many
thousands Of tons in addition which are
utilized in other ways or left to rot on
the vines. 1t is estimated by grocers
that over $4,000 acres are planted with
grapes in this region, says Chautauqua
IN. Y letter to the New York Post,
and the number Of vineyards increases
every season.
The grape grower to-day must be sat-
isfied with half cent pound profit.
Frequently the markets are so gIutted
with grapes that the growers do not get
back enough more than to cover expenses.
Grape growing under such conditions is
rather discouraging work. To improve
the industry growers have endeavored to
effect changes along two lines. The cost
of production IS brought down to the
lowest figure possible, and everything is
done to invent cheaper methods of grow
ing consistent with good quality of
grapes. Attempts, too, are being made
to use the surplus crop In other ways
than simply sending them to market and
running the risk OF selling them at loss.
Hand labor has been caeapened as
much as possible, for in the past this has
amounted to considerable sum, espe-
cially when summer tying to the STAKES
and bagging the grapes were resorted to-
According TO the Kniffen system now
generally 1optel, summer tying Of the
vines to the wires is done away with.
This system renews the vines every year
back to She crown Oh the Lowest wire,
and trains the vines out in opposite Oh
rections, one for each of the two wires
used. The old system required three
wires for support, but only two are need
ed by the kuffen system. This is best
for the strong growing varieties, such as
the Concords, Wordens and Niagaras,
but some of the more delicate varieties
have to be supplied with at least three
and sometimes with four wires. The old
method Of bagging the grapes to avoid
the rot is no longer pract:sed generally.
The bags cost quite sum on q 1OO-acre
field, and the labor of putting them over
the lunches entaied another large item
of expense. A few growers still adopt
this system, but the majority use the
Bordeaux mixture early III the season,
which pretty effectually keeps all fungi
from the vines and fruit.
Birds ale almost as great nuisance to
the grape farmers as insects and fungi.
Scare crows are consequently necessary,
aud many of them are artistic inven-
tions. Some are simply the old fashioned
stakes and posts decorated with the old
clothes of the farmer, SO that poor rep
rescntatiOn of man standing ID the
field is made. Others have tin pans
strung up so ingeniously that these bang
together every time the wind blows, and
an improvement upon this is made of
cow-bells instead Of pans. But after all
o man or boy in the field banging away
at the birds with shotgun is the most
effective method of keeping them from
injuring the berries.
The question of extending aud i'm
proving the market for the grape crop
has long been anxiousIv studied by those
who expect to see the industry overdone,
and to- day there are several uses for
grapes which are rapidly assuming i'm
portance to the growers. One of the
latest schemes is to extend the marketing
season into winter by L system of cold
storage. Cold. storage grapes during the
holidays, and we'll towards spring, are
novelties as Jet, bat 1t will not be many
years before every hotel and private
house will have suc1 grapes on their Ia
bles. By picking the grapes carefully
in sound punches, and placing them in
the storar ge- house until the stems have
dried up and all moisture has evaporated,
they are fit to preserre for long time
by means of cold. They are packed in
boxes lined and covered over the top
with paratfined paper. According to
this method the Niagara grapes can be
kept until after the first of January, and
the Vergennes can be preserved until the
following spring. The grapes shrink a
little, but for all practical purposes they
are as good as when first picked from
the vines. So far the trouble has been
that the public does not know enough
about cold-storage grapes to make the
demand general, but every year this diff
Gculty is lessene1.
Another method OF utilizing the
grapes is to convert them into infer
mented grape juice. Nearly every soda
water store in the cities now has its
white stone jug marked with 'pure IN
fermeEted grape juice" althou n ten
years ago such thing was not known
This fresh juice OF the grapes makes a