Mariposa Democrat., 1857-06-18
From the Louisville Journal.
CULTURE OF GRAPE.

CULTURE OF UIthEEss
With soil and climate just suited to the
grape, and enough experience to demonstrate
the great profit to be realized from it. it seems
strange that so few have embarked in this cul-
ture in Kentucky and the neighboring States
Around Cincinnati the steep hill-sides, that
but for the vine would be now covered with
the primitive forest of a wilderness of weeds
and underground, are producing to their own
ers returns which would seem almost fabulous
to farmers of the rich, level lands, who raise
corn, grass, and small grains. To cultivate
vines for the purpose Of making wine, and to
grow them for the sake Of the fruit, require
certain notifications in practice which should
be understood before the vines are set Our
markets are not sufficiently supplied with this
delicious fruit, but, even if an overstock should
be produced at any time, they will bear trans
porting to other markets, or they may be kept
on hand by packing so as to come into market
long after the usual season. There is much
profit in growing grapes for the fruit only, but
probably more when the soil and location suit
for making wine. When grown for the fruit,
they should be planted wider apart than the
common vineyard distance; they may be
grown on good, well drained, level land, If roll
ing or hill land is not attainablc but for wine,
we would never advise the planting Of vine
unless on high and dry hillands, for the reason
that in such location the juice of the grape is
richer in sacharine matter, and consequently
on being fermcnted will make wine with suf
ficient body to keep and improve by age, Willie
the juice of vines grown on richer and more
moist soils, though probably more abundant,
will be so thin and water, that on being fer
mented il will all turn to vinegar or something
worse.
In either location, and for either purpose,
care must be exercised in enriching the soil,
not to add such manure as will produce
rapid growth, but rather such as will form
hard, round, shortjointed wood from which
only can good healthy fruit be produced
Ashes, lime, ground bones, and charcoal will
produce good bearing wood, while stubble ma
nure and guano will produce ongjointed,
watery growth unfit for fruiting
In regard to pruning and training, the fol-
lowing. directions, when fruit is the object, will
be found to answer a good purpose, although
in practice it will be found rather difficult for
novice to manage.
Mr.. Mckay is very successful grower Of
grapes and realizes large sums every year
from his crop, for which he always gets high
prices on account of the superiority of his
grapes:
GRAPE CULTuRE-ANNuAL PRuNING.-Edat-
ors of Rural-The best season for performing
this very important operation has, for along
time, been controverted point among good
cultivators. OF course | speak in reference to
our native vines. All agree that it should be
done some time between the cessation ofgrowth
in the fall, and its commencement the next
spring. While many-perhaps the largest
number of those who have given their views
to the public-have practiced and advocated
fall pruning, and given some seemingly good
reasons for the practice, others recommended
February as the best time, and have not failed
to furnish some very plausible reasons for SO
doing.
Those who advocate and practice fall pru-
ming claim that between the falling Of the leaves
in November and the swelling of the buds in
the following spring, a distribution of the or
ganizable matter-the matter which enters in
to the composition of the fruits constantly
going on through all parts Of the vine. If this
theory is correct-if such distribution is con-
stantly taking place while the roots of the vine
are bound nicy chains" and the branches
frozen and the whole vine in dormant state,
then most surely fall pruning should never be
neglected. For by delaying the operation un-
til this distribution has all or nearly all taken
place, by fat the greater part of the fruit pro-
ducing elements will be sacrificed by the knife;
whereas, if the surplus buds are removed be-
fore such distribution has progressed far, the
buds retained will receive nearly all this mat
ter, and the necessary consequence must be
better yield of fruit
On the other hand the advocates Of Februa-
ry pruning deny this distribution" theory,
and claim that it is safest not to prune till after