GRAPE. The grape, during the last ten years, has come fairly to contest the palm, during its season, with the other fruits bought for use by all classes in our principal markets. Since we have ceased to be guided by a hot-house standard, as to what constitutes a palatable grape, and have thrown over the opinions of sybaritic guides, the masses are supplied with this most health giving fruit in abundance. The Concord grape may be ripened anywhere in the United States up to the Canada line, and also well up into Canada. Along the shores of Lake Erie and Ontario, and west of Lake Michigan, even up to Minnesota, it flourishes everywhere, and may be grown almost as easily as Indian corn. Occasionally a theorist remains who will declare that severe pruning and constant pinching back is necessary to pro duce fruit. The many get it simply by tying the vines to light posts not extending more than five feet above ground, the laterals being pruned to three or four buds each, the summer pruning consisting simply in taking away the superabun dant wood, up to almost the first or the middle of July, and then letting the vines pretty much take care of themselves. A curious part, not only of grape culture, but of small fruit culture gener tiny, is that the majority of farmers, who should knive an abundance of these fruits for daily use than could he bought for the produce of twenty five acres of corn. Yet it is too often the case that, even of grapes, one or two rambling and neglected vines, only, are to be found near the farm house, when every farmer's homestead, should have a vineyard of from thirty to sixty in the family during their season, have less than any other of the middle classes of` society, for getting that $50 worth of labor on an acre of land m vegetables and small fruits would return them more healthful and delicate food for the family vines, the majority of which for the North should be Concords, with a few vines of other reputable. sorts for experimental culture. The illustrationk will show the Concord bunch full size, the Con-• cord being of the Northern family The grape is easily raised from cuttings or layers. One year old vines are the best for transplanting, whatever interested parties may say to the contrary, and any soil not sodden with water in the spring' and early summer, and rich enough to raise a fair crop of corn, is good enough to raise those varieties of American grape in common cultivation. The rows for grapes should be eight feet apart, whether the system of cultivation be on trellis or stakes. For Concord, or other strong growing varieties, eight feet should also be allowed in the row. Delaware,
and other comparatively weak growing varieties, may be six feet apart in the row. Vigorous vari eties, as those like Concord, Diana, and Roger's Hybrids; Delaware, Martha, and this class of grapes, are comparatively weak growers. The cultivation may mostly be done with a five-tooth cultivator, working shallow, but close, next the vines, and deep near the middle of the rows. Thus very little hoeing will be necessary. What ever the training, whether by winding about Of the new grapes, candidates for the popular favor, within the last two years the Prentiss has claims worthy the attention of amateurs, and is of the Labrusca family that has given its so many good grapes. The cut, below, shows not only the great weight and compactness with which the grape may be grown, but is a good showing of the Prentiss as we saw it in 1879 and 1880. The branch is twenty inches long, trained laterally and holding a weight of seven pounds of grapes on laterals bearing two and three bunches each. The description is as follows: Bunch large, not often shouldered, compact. Berry medium to large, yellowish green, some times with a rosy tint on side next to sun; skin thin but very firm. Flesh tender, sweet, melt ing, juicy, with a very pleasant and musky aroma; free from foxiness; little if any pulp; seeds few and small; very similar to Rebecca in quality but vine a vigorous grower, and foliage very distinct from Rebecca. Foliage healthy, thick, resembling Diana or Isabella, showing its native stakes, tying them how fashion back and forth, training for shape or trellising, the annual prun in g should all be finished early, and this princi pally by pinching. The later pruuing—and the less the better—is simply clipping off the ends of too rampant and straggling vines. The fall pruning should leave the side shoots cut to about three buds. The Concord, as we before stated, does well on a variety of soils. Delaware likes a rather compact soil, but one not wet; no grape, however, will stand a sodden soil. Perkins is one of the earliest grapes. Hartford seems to like a rather light soil, since on heavy and rather wet soils it is inclined to drop its fruit. Of varie ties, every person, except as to Concord, should select those hest adapted to his soil, location and system of cultivation. This can only be deter mined by experiments with sorts that do well on similar soils and locatiOns. The advice in this direction of some practical cultivator nearest you will be of importance in an economical sense.