A. M. Burns, of Riley County, Kansas, writes the Prairie Farmer, referring to rot, diseases, etc., in grape culture as follows:

"Although we have been free from rot and comparatively free from mildew - a few scattering bunches showing some last year on vines planted in the best prepared soil I have - yet I observed that quite a lot of yellow leaves made their appearance; these wan leaves, I noticed, were only on vines that had been propagated from green wood by layering, or on vines from old wood that had not been root-pruned before planting; while vines produced from good bearing canes, taken up in the fall and all the unripe wood cut off, "heeled in," and coming out in the spring with nicely calloused wood where cuts had been made, presented a very healthy-looking foliage. It is true that some of the hardy varieties produced roots from green wood, which I root-pruned within an inch or two of the collar, that have remained healthy-looking for years, but their progress in growth was very slow - very little more than good cuttings. The vines that I propagated by layering green wood, when not closely root-pruned before planting, nearly, if not all, died; while a great many propagated from sound canes, by layering, showed the yellow leaf and gradually died; but I observed that none of my vines exhibited the wan leaf which had been propagated from sound bearing canes, properly root-pruned and the wounds calloused before planting in properly prepared soil, adapted to the healthful growth of the vine."

Again, he adds an item which confirms additional our view of the necessity of cutting away unripe wood, or that which our good judgment tells us will not ripen, and thus aid in preparing the plant to endure the severity of a climate beyond its natural order. While this cutting may injure at the time, if made early, say 1st to 10th of October, a small portion of roots, experience has shown that there is benefit rather than injury in so doing. If the plant is left to itself, and severe weather attacks it in the unripe condition and with a quantity of unripe sap returning to the roots, the whole plant as well as the roots feels the effect injurious; hence the advantage of cutting away immature wood and foliage, that the remainder may return through its foliage and sap vessels only elaborated substances, healthy and hardy, in support of the vine. The following is Mr. Burns' item:

"It is an admitted fact, I believe, that the roots of the vines can not ripen their ends in autumn; the consequence is that the immature wood must rot if planted. It is also known that just in proportion to the quantity of the tops of grapevines that are cut off, there will be so much of the roots that will decay. Now to what other cause can I attribute the yellow leaves on vines brought from a distance, as well as those that are indigenous to the country, than that the decaying wood on the roots of the vines affects the vigor of the mature wood; perhaps sows the seeds of disease that may not be immediately observed, but which will, under favorable conditions, show itself at a future period. I have observed that the yellow leaves did not exhibit themselves, in some instances, for years after the vines were planted; but as soon as unfavorable conditions were presented, the yellow leaves could be seen."

The Delaware Grape we have seen this year, grown on clay shale land well manured, ripen or rather color its fruit as early as the Hartford. On sandy and gravelly soils, while one or more berries have colored early, the main part of the bunch has not the matured any earlier than the Concord.

Hartford Prolific Grape under our observation again this year, does better on clay than on sandy or gravelly soils. On clay soils its bunches are larger and more compact, and it colors and ripens earlier than when grown on sand.