Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1861-02-15

spring, ana the hbers beng well spread,
l bind up the young wood at one end
of the hole by the side Of the stake
In filling up the hole, use the topsoil
first, and have it well tramped !; the
vine is trimmed to two eyes ; this is
repeated, placing vine every three
feet, till the :ow is completed. l lay
off the next row six feet from the first,
until my ground is filled up.
Some may object to the width be-
tween the rows, preferring but five feet;
where it is intended to work with the
ploS md harrow, six feet is not coo
wide; at the present time, would give
more room, say seven feet by four
feet. After the vines are planted, keep
the ground clean from weeds AID grass;
tie the vines to tho stakes as they grow
up, pulling off all but the two main
shoots keep down the side shoots as
we'll as the suckers.
The next spring, in March, all the
shoots must be cut away, leaving only
stump above the ground, with
two or three eyes this will complete
the first pruning then two or three of
the young shoots must be carefully tied
to the stakes as they grow, all the sur
plus shoots being pulled off as soon as
possible, while they are tender. The
second spring, all must be cut off ex-
cept one Of the s.raightcst and hand
soonest Of the shoots, which is to be
pruned twelve or fifteen inches long,
and tied to the stake with willow or
bark this will comprise the second
pruning then three or four of the up
perlnost shoots must be left, and en-
couraged by tying them to the stakes
as they grow, and removing all others
as they appear. Some of these branch
cs will have fruit, which will come to
perfection if taken care Of, but had
better be pulled out.
The third pruning in vineyards
ought to be done nearly like that Of
the year before, and the shoot left must
be one Of the highest, handsomest, and
straigLtest this branch must be left
long enough to reach the next stake,
and be fastened to it. This is what
we call a horizontal branch, or more
commonly bough. The Germans gen.
orally tie this around to the stake in
the form Of hoop spur is left in
trimming one Of the other shoots this
should have two or three eyes ; the
rest Of the branches are to be cut off,.
The spur or horn must be established
where it is likely to become a hand
some and well grown vine-stock, az
this horn is to produce wood for the
next years pruning. The vine dresser
must always keep In view not to in
crease too much the hight Of the stock
nor to have it made too low, but to
keep it about eighteen inches or two
feet high.
The next year, and at every subse-
quent pruning, the horizontal branch
must be cut off, and another made out
Of the shoots which have grown out of
the horn. A very strong vine may
have TWO such branches, and if by Scci-
dent no good shoot have sprung out of
the horn, to make bough, any of the
others mus. serve, provided the vine
appears to be vigorous. If it be weak
the bough must be omitted until the
plant RECEIVERS its strength. Here the
judgment of the vine-dresser must be
guided by his experience. Long prun-
ing will give more fruit, but viii ex-
haust the plant, and the fruit will not
be so good nor so we'll ripened.
Wherever wine is to be made from
the grapes, as soon az they are fully
ripe, the mere leaves there are on the
vine when the fruit is ripening, and
the more green and healthy they are,
the better will be the wine. 1t is my
humble opinion, from what I have OBJ
served in grape growing, although I
may differ in this with some other vine
dressers, that instead Of pulling off the
leaves from the vine, as great many
do, it is better to use all industry to
prevent their untimely fall, by keeping
the ground well plowed and clean, and
by having all the other work done
neatly and in proper season, and by
destroying all the insects that may do
injury to them. Happily there are not
many caterpillars that do injury to
the leaves; the green worm is their
worst enemy; they eat tho ''seed" when
they first come out.
Tying and fastening Of the vines to
the stakes is o matter Of urgent ne
cessity, and can notbe dispensed with;
it must be begun at the time Of prun-
ing. First fasten your stock careful
ly to the stake, then the bough or
branch, tying with osiers or willow,
and ligature done in time will straigh-
ten crooked plant. Tie up the
young shoots as soon as they are long
enough, which is commonly when the
grapes are about to blossom, and re-
peat this as they grow. Rye straw is
the best material, but the inside bark
of elm, or linden, pawpaw, is also
good.
Summer pruning is to be done just
before the blossoms open; break off the
tips fully three leaves beyond the last
bunch Of grapes.
Most Of our German vine dressers
commit great error by breaking off
the young shoots that bear grapes too
close to the grapes. They pinch too
severely, leaving only one or two leaves
beyond the last bunch. and they keen |