Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1848-09-29
From the Holticulturist.
To prevent The "ROt" in Cranes.


DEAR SIR-You will probably call to mind a
conversation between us when was ut New.
burgh IN 1876. laid before you an account oi
the disease which had then made its appearance
IN our native graves the Isabella and Catawba.
1t commences about the first of July, in the form
of dark spot upon few berries These af.
terwards become entirely spoiled by the disease;
and this rot spreads from berry to berry ill a
large part Of the bunch, or, in many cases, whole
lunches are entirely spoiled by it. Wet sea.
sons, unsuitable soil, aud various other causes
have been assigned for it; but rs yet. to my
mind, no satisfactory explanation has been given.
You advised me, at that time, to apply sulphur
and lime in the form Of gypsum, or common
ground plaster of paris; aud you also advised
me 10 use the leaves and prunings of the vines
for manure.
This is the second season Of my trying your
advice; and as | received il with the promise OF
making known the results. | accordingly send
you brief statement, which think proves thai
the advice was good.
have about twenty vines Of the Isabella and
Caawba grape, in full bearing state, trained on
upright treIlises. ln the month of June, (lauer
part.) 1916, at the time made the summer pru.
nng oi the vlnes,-cutling off the side shoots
two joints above the fruiI,-l opened shallow
trenches, say four or five inches deep, at the
roots of the vines 10 be pruned. As fast as the
pruning was finished, the leavesan young stems
cat off were laid in these lrcnchcs,. sprinkled
lciM sufficient gypsum or plaster 10 aciiten Me
lordSe, (irom a pint 10 quart per pIanl.) and
the whole lrodden down and buried int The trench.
As soon as the leaves fell in the aulumn re.
pealed the process,-raking up the leaves and
burylng them around the roots of the vines, aE-
ter dusrng them over with plaster us before.
In June, l849, the present season. repeated
the same operation at The summer pruning.
Now The result is as follows:
Although the season is remarkable for the
prevalence Of the rot, not berry on any of
these sic zines. so treated is affected: tho crop
being, on the contrary, very good fruit
large and increasing in size. The vines, too,
are remarkably healthy and vigorous.
On the other hand, the remaining vines, four
teen in number, are every one affected by the
roI-some Of them very badly; and even on
those least affected, ten per cent. of the berries
are destroyed by this disease.
| ought 10 add that The vines Of my neighbors
generally are much affected by the rot this sea.
son, and that | have seen no Isabella or Cataw-
bas this season that surpass i'll appearance those
on the six vines alluded 10.
This "rot" is disease that has only appear
ed within five years in this part of the country.
At the south, am told, it has always existed.
On the Ohio, as gather from Mr.. Longworlh s
remarks, in your journal, it is quite troublesome
in the vineyards; and it appears 10 be on the in.
crease through the country generally. A rem
edy for this disease must be considered public
benefit, and I therefore send you the above re-
marks for publication, if you deem them wor-
thy. Your friend, A JERsEYMAN.
August, 1848.
REMARKs.-We thank ga Jerseymen" for his
account of the apparently quite successful ex-
pertinent. Our advice was based on two con-
slderatons; in the first place, we supposed that
the rot might be owing 10 the want of some in
organic substance in The soil, necessary for the
perfect maturation of the grape; and secondly,
perhaps, to the use Of crude animal m6nures.-
As sulphur and lime are large constituents OF
those volcanic soils abroad, where the grape
thrlves best, we recommended the use Of com.
NV" '"oo syPsuH-Ilhelylo losuppIy mem;
and as the foliage and shoots of The vine are
we'll known TO afford the most perfect food for
the growth of that plant we recommended The
use of the prunings and fallen leaves, buried in
the soil, for manure.
1t is worth while now to repeat the expert.
ment on larger scale, in vineyard culture, and
we accordingly recommend it again to the vine
dressers on the Ohio, with a similar request for
a statement, when they are ready to "report
progress. ."-ED. HoRT.