THE following notes upon varieties of grapes and methods of treatment were presented recently at a regular meeting to the Mitchell District Horticultural Society, in southern Indiana, by Mr. J. P. Applegate:

A good market list of grapes for southern Indiana is as follows: Red - Brighton, Delaware, Woodruff Red, to which may be added Agawam or Vergennes, or both ; Slack - Moore's Early, Worden, and for those who want grapes without work, the reliable old Concord, which will stand more neglect and bear better than any other kind ; White - Lady, Martha, Moore's Diamond, Niagara and Pocklington. The prices of plants of some of these kinds have been kept up, but by fall or next spring one-year vines can be procured at reasonable rates. For home use, taste, talent for cultivating, location and length of pocketbook all enter into the matter. The list given for market would also suit most tastes for private use.

On a city lot I have those named above, and in addition, Catawba, Lady Washington, Rebecca, Elvira, Duchess, Prentiss, Salem, August Giant, Early Victor, Empire State, Ives' Seedling, Hartford Prolific, Norton's Virginia, Jefferson and several seedlings. If planting again, however, I should eliminate all but two or three kinds in the different colors. The Martha I name as my favorite grape in flavor, with Pocklington next. Moore's Diamond is a superb grape, and Norton's Virginia deserves a place, as it is very fine if left on the vine as late as possible in the season to avoid freezing; in fact, a slight freeze improves its flavor, if eaten soon afterwards.

It is safer in this latitude to lay the vines down for winter. It is a light job, and pays as well as almost anything that can be done. Even if a vine is permitted to grow and become stiff, it should be bent down until all the young wood is on the ground. It may be necessary in some cases to lay something on a vine to hold it down. A covering of chaff of any kind, well rotted manure or a few shovels of earth is of great advantage in severe winters. Vines that are laid down should be pruned in the fall. That is also a preferable season for pruning, as the weather is generally much better and the ground dryer, making the work more pleasant.

There are many systems of pruning. It should be borne in mind that it is a vine and not a bush that is wanted. For arbor culture in yard or garden the fan system of spreading and spur system of pruning is generally considered the best; bring the shoots from near the ground in the shape of a fan and prune to one and two buds on side shoots. The first season one shoot only is permitted to grow ; that is cut back to two buds and the most thrifty left to grow the next season ; the third year two or even three shoots may be left, and after that the number must be governed by the strength of the vine, always remembering that the fewer shoots and fewer bunches the vine is called on to mature, the better it can do the work and the hardier the vine and the finer the fruit produced. When the vine is of rampant growth, pinching back in summer is often resorted to and has a tendency to throw more of the strength of the vine into the fruit.

The single stake system is yet largely in vogue, as is the wire trellis, consisting of posts set from twelve to twenty feet apart and from two to three wires stretched as for fencing against cattle; the vines set ten feet apart and rows eight feet. This is a convenient method.

T. V. Munson, of Denison, Texas, has adopted a system which combines more of the beneficial results and fewer of the inconveniences and possible injuries of pruning than any yet devised. Two posts are set in the same hole 2 to 2½ feet deep, 4 feet high and flaring at the top 2 feet; these double posts are planted at in-tervals of 32 feet and a wire stretched from the top of each. This gives two lines of vines four feet from the ground, making culture easy and the vineyard presenting a handsome appearance. The rows are eight feet apart, the distance in the row depending upon the kind of grapes grown. The pruning is on the renewal system, two vines being permitted to remain for bearing and two others grown for the succeeding year, the bearing vines being removed. This is simple, can be rapidly done and anyone can follow it.

One of the greatest modern improvements in grape culture is bagging. It was first brought to public attention by Col. Bennett H. Young, of Louisville, an enthusiastic and very successful amateur grower, who had at one time one hundred and sixty-five varieties on his home lot. Common two-pound manilla bags, costing about $1.20 per thousand, are used ; and are put on usually by girls or women, by pinning over the shoot. With a little practice a quick worker can put on a thousand to fifteen hundred a day. Bagging should be done as soon as the bloom falls. I prevents rot, mildew, keeps off birds and all insects except spiders, and they do little or no harm, gives the berries higher color, preserves the bloom, giving them a much handsomer appearance. Cheap green bags will doubtless soon be in the markets, and then bagging will come into general use, many now objecting to them on account of the odd and very conspicuous appearance of the buff-colored bags on their vines.