Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1863-07-31
NO. 18.
A G RIG U LTURAL J..
Written for Field Notes.
The Best Soil for Grape Growing.

-. Written for Field Notes.
ori The Best Soil for Grape Growing.
n. To those about to invest capita
IN and labor in the planting and fruir
ic ing Of grape vines, the question, a
H. to what soil as well as what location
g promise the best and most satisfac
is tory results, Is one of paramount i'm
o portance. Grapes, it is true, can b,
grown anywhere that Indian corr
e will ripen, but the result in many 10
cations and soils, in respect to quail
q lty and quantity as compared with
: the labor are not satisfactory.
The vineyards on Kelley's and
other Islands in that section of Lake
Erie, are the only vineyards ever
visited by the writer, whereon the
grapes ripen uniform and thorough
! " year after year. At Cincinnati,
Southern Illinois, Indiana, and for
some one hundred miles south and
west of st. Louis there are vine
| yards, where frequently the grapes
ripen evenly, but the location before
named is the only one where uni
form size and perfection of maturi-
tv has been the rule, and not excep-
tiOn.
In all these places. loamy clay has
been the prevailing soil whereon
have grown the best fruit, while ev-
cry vineyard, or spot in a vineyard.
having gravelly clay or sandy loan,
has exhibited the fruit more or less
imperfectly ripened, and the vine of
a more slender growth. Loamy clay
contains, within a given surface or |
space, a larger amount Of food suit
ed to the wants of the vine, than
soils of a less retentive character.
and they also retain in solution,
while those of sandy character
permit it to leach away. Again the
grape while it is gross feeder, re-
quires at the same time, a dry foot,
and those who drain best, whether
on clay or sand, obtain the best fruit,
and the most perfect wood.
On the southern borders of Lake
Erie, most of those who have plant
ed vineyards have selected sandy
soils, under the impression that by
so doing they would, from the
warmth of the soil, hasten the matu-
rity in the grape, and thus escape
the early autumn frosts. They also
are, as rule, enormously impress
ed with belief that understanding
on sandy land is not necessary. and
therefore a great saving in the first
cost of stocking the vineyard.
Having long and carefully watch
ed this matter, l have found that
vines of Catawba, Isabella, and All
ken grapes, have all matured their
fruit more evenly and uniformly
when grown upon we'll drained clay
loans, upon the south shore of Lake
Erie, or elswhere, than upon sandy
soils. have also observed that af-
ter four or five years bearing, most
of the vines of land notunder-drained
whether clay or sand have been af-
iicted with some insease, mildew,
rot, etc, etc. Without writing an
essay to explain all this, which is
easily done, it is easy to conclude
that wherever large and fine grapes
we'll matured are desired, that rich,
strong clay loam well under-drain-
I'd is the best soil, and if location can I
be selected, one looking to the south
md east should be obtained, and lev
Il land, protected from the north
md west either by a high board
'ence or hedge the next best. That
next to clay dry gravelly loan
should be selected, and that the
poorest possible selection for vine :
Yard is one of light sand with COM .
ha,.I v-oIIovv
These conclusions are for our a
coarse grapes, as the Catawba, Con- /
ord, &c, &c, they being the varie- 1
lies and character at which vigne- t
'ons are aiming. But there is one t
step ahead, and which has got to, a
md will come, before we shall fairly e
ay claim to a grape and wine-pro-
lucing people, it is the growing of
l finer character Of grape, one that I
while it will not yield more than one il
lalf to two-thirds as much fruit to n
he acre, will nevertheless make a !
vine of far higher and more valua-
de grade.
To this end the now apparent ,
worthless hills of broken calcare-
,us limestone in Missouri and S
arge portion of South Bass, and S
ome other islands in Lake Erie are b
peculiarly adapted. These lands a
.annot be cultivated with the Nplow, b
md until some one is bold enough
o make the experiment of growing C
Ipon them a grape adapted to their p
character, and procure a wine there
rom, they will, as they have here e
ofore, probably remain barren and q
once the experiment is =
ried and its results arrived at, they y
will be the most valuable vineyard .,
ands in the United States, and this !,
will be ere the year nineteen hun a
red shall be chronicled. F. r. E. u
OeUeland NoU, 30, 1852. W
Rhubarb Wine
The manufacture of rhubarb into iC