Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1862-03-05
Grapes and Grape Culture.

"hapCS anu NAopS
EDlroRs SOUTHERN CrLrIvAToR.-l see
but little during these war times, n'your
journal, about Grapes. Is the subject ex-
hau>ted, or are not Grapes useful int times
of war as well ss peace? Surely, glass
of good Catawba, or a bunch Of Grapes,
would be grateful, as we'll as healthtuI,
addition to the salt pork and hard biscuit
of our soldiers; and besides this, too,
Grapes can be made subservient to war
purposes in smother way: for if it he true,
as Mr.. Longworth says, that the Stnpper.
mong Grape is fit for nothing but to he
used as bullets. when lead is scarce, if this
war lasts much longer, they E&y be
greatly i'll demand. And if they should
prove as cf!cctual when fired at the IAN.
KEGS rs the cheese of the Dutch Admiral
did, When Used for IL similar purpose, they
would nos be bad substitute.
rs ,m body else seems disposed to
write about Grapes. propose to give
YOU . somewhat drsultory chapter, if j,
silo"ld serve no otleY tild than to rouse
the slumhr-srs on this subject.
nave heard y coed deal said '.boui the
difficulty in getting cuttings to grow.
The causes Of this, think, are several:
lst. The cuttings have not been Jpliy
!.iThtred when taken from the vine;
FL. They have been improperly kept
sitter removal from the vine;
81 lie groun, has not been properly
prepared before setting out, and the plant
ing has been badly tiour and at the wrong
time.
There are doubtless other causc-, but
these are sufficient to enumcratc for the
present..
In regard to the first proposition, ]
wou!d s'l! that during the spring and sum
mer. The roots and stein OF the iuc are
:.:ain!.y engaged in the elaboration of sap
ar Su>tcnalce for the growth of the new
wood and The fruit, and the perfect, II or
maturity of the Inter; the saline az the
human SYSTEM * during The day time,
digcsting and assin,ilatillg the food neccs
sary TO supply the lass nf :hc worn on,
portions of the body, which afe constant.
Is passing off in various ways ss c!,ete
matter, and as it is only during the night
time when the body is in its most COM
plcte state of rcpose, that the food pre-
pared during the day for that purpose be-
comes sotid;fed, or perfectly lnaturcd, SO
it is that during the fall and winter, after
its work of maturing the fruit is over,
that the new portion Of the vine becomes
sna,ured or so!idiEra. Tie precise tiuc
ssher this process is completed, depends
to considerable extent upon the charao-
ter OF the season.
1t would not be unsafe, | think, TO cal
cula:c hat it is accomplished, under ordi-
sary circumstances. a short time previous
to the commencement of the flow Of sap,
lis it is termed. in the latter part of win
ter or early spring. This, then, is the
proper time for trimming the vines.
Another way in which immature cut
tings are sometimes obtained, is to take
them from vines that are uGer four years
old: this should not be done, As it is be-
licved that plants obtained from cuttings
Of this sort are not long lived.
My next proposition embraces the mode
of saving the cuttings from the time they
are takcn from the vine until they are
planted. When the vines are first trim
med, it is generally not scasonable to
nlant ,!i.m out: II greater or less length
OF time elapses, therefore, before planting
time comes, and the question arises, what
is the best way to keep them during this
period! The most favorable conditions
70 accomplish this object arc moderate.
IL low and equable temperature, with
moisture enoug in the surroundings SO
as not to abstract auy from the cuttings.
Some persons use cellars FOR this purpose,
Aut ell cellars are not suitable. a srstl
reutilated cellar is too dry, and does not
preserve an cquabe temperature.
Erom some considerable experience,
the writer has proved the following to he
an excellent way Of saving cuttings: Dig
trench four feet deep. in y dry soil, and
upon gentle slope. As soon es removed
from the vine, tic the cuttings in punches
of hundred each, and place them two
layers deep in the bottom of the trench.
cover lightly with dry straw or leaves,
then fill up the trench to Il little above the
surface with the dirt taken from it. By
this plan the above conditions will be OBJ
iained, and your cuttings, when taken ont
at planting time, will be found in good
plight for growing.
Ny third and last proposition embraces
the preparation Of the ground, the manner
OF and time for planting.
unquestionably the best method of
preparing the soil is to trench it all over
with the spade, not less than twenty inches
deep, better twenty.tour inches. reversing
the soil completely but us this is very
expensive, costing with us from $40 to
sl00 per acre, it may be dispensed with
in pery light soils; next to this, in prefer
cnce, is trenching the row where the
vines arc planted, which plan is considered
by many to be the least that can be done
to secure a good and permanent vineyards;
next to this mode comes preparing the
land with the plow; this plan has many
,Jvnc,trS ON account of its c!lpannrSS a,,I