The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1867-11-01

SMALL FRUIT CULTURE.
We are indebted to J. II. FOSTER, jr.,
proprietor of Pomona's Home Nurseries,
White Horse P. O., N. j., for acopy of
a valuable little Manual of Grape and
Small Fruit Culture. From it we shall
make few extracts, which will be of
interest to many of our readers, COM
mencing with the
CULTURE AND TRAINING OF THE GRAPE.
In choosing site for vineyard many
things are to be taken into considera-
tion. For producing the best quality of
wine we should select soil with some
clay for a foundation, but thoroughly
mixed with this we want plenty OF veg
etable mould, or forest refuse. The soil,
TO be warm, should abound with fine
sandy debris, and also goodly quanti-
ty of small sand stones, about the size of
hens eggs. We have witnessed the very
best results when the latter quality pre-
dominated to such al extent that most
persons would have thought the land
worthless.
New soils are to be preferred, as they
generally contain the very necessary
vegetable refuse. A rich soil has been
thought necessary for the Delaware and
other slow growers. We decidedly
doubt it, as we have witnessed good re-
suits with the Delaware where the soil
was but of medium quality, and when
it was trenched so as to inyert the soil
and subsOil. To sum up our position:
We do not believe a rich soil necessary,
or even desirable when first-class wine
is the object; for the growth of table
fruit for market it may be most protita-
bic. Prefer soil composed of about %
per cent. of clay, Is per cent. of yegeta-
BILE refuse, and Copper cent. of sandstone
refuse, varying from sand to large as an
egg. A southeastern, southern, or
southwestern slope preferred in the
above order, for the Middle and North
ern States.
PREPARATION OF THE GROUND.
We are supposing we have to deal
with q soil as described above. If it is
too steep we have to hand trench, which
is very expensive operation, conse-
quently, it is much cheaper to purchase
lllOIt lCNCl SuSh 10 " oioPS Va
about one foot in five or six.
I.enching.-We prefer to perform this
operation during the early Fall. Open
trench fro two to three feet wide
and twenty to twenty-four inches deep,
by throwing the earth cut on the lower
side. TO ill up this open trench and
form another, pick and shovel over the
next strip of same width into the first
trench, thoroughly miring il. Thus you
have filled up one and opened another
by the same operation. The trenching
of the whole vineyard is but repeti-
tion of this process.
[ Mr.. Foster here gives full explana-
tion of the mode Of trench ploWing, which
is interesting and instructiye.]
PLANTING.
The proper season to plant varies,
but is generally about November lst to
goth. Proceed by digging the holes,
which should be circle of three feet
diameter aad ten inches deep. We pre-
fer to stake while planting, as in driv-
ing the stake afterward some injury is
likely to be done to the vine roots.
Stakes of four and half feet are long
enough for the first season. Drive the
stakes six inches deep, in the centre OF
the hole. Now form a mound around
the stake seven or eight inches high in
the centre, and sloping off to nothing at
the edges of the hole. Pruue the main
roots of the vine back to length of
twenty inches or less, and the lateral
roots to about two or four inches, ac-
cording to strength. Place the vine on
the mound, and spread out the roots
evenly. Carefully fill up the hole, and
after pruning the top to two buds, raise
q slight mound over the plant, which is
to be removed early next spring. We
prefer fall planting, as the soil is gcner-
ally in better condition, n,-the planter
has more time. The soil gets settled
we'll about the plants, and the phos-
phate well dissolved. There is always
an advantage to fall purchasers, as they
generally get better plants. Plants set
in the fall have full months advan-
tage, as they start so much earlier in
the spring, and are not so easily effect
ed by drouth. If you plant in the
spring, mack tue soil next the roots
thoroughly, and little water would be
of advantage. DO not pack the surface
SUI, uOL lCb ~ sCt poNnSu W HS@'y A"AAS
during the first year.
FIRST YEAR.
The first year is occupied in gaining
strength. In the Fall the vine is pruned
to four or five inches.
SECOND YEAR.
Early, or as soon as the buds show
any sign of swelling, rub out all the
buds above o point four inches above
the junction of the one and two year
old wood. Four or five shoots will be
apt to push from this four inches of new
cane, the best three of which are to be
selected, and the balance rubbed out.
AS soon rs they are long enough, tie the
best two to the stake, and pinch in the
other. These two are to be kept well
tied up, and laterals we'll pinched-in
during the season. They ought to be
each ten or twelve feet long by fall. If
they Seem to grow too fast, and not to
ripen up we'll by the middle of Septem-
Der, half break off about foot of the
top. This will help to ripen the cane.
Prune the canes to five feet, and prune
away the old stump left last spring;
perhaps better have pruned away the
latter during July, Cut loose from
stakes.
During the winter the trellis must be
constructed.
so IN THIRD YEAR.
Cut the canes to four feet, and
tie them to the lower wire, reversing
them, i. G., tieing the left cane to the
right side, and rice rersa. After the
buds have grown enough to be tied to
the wire above, the selections of the
canes take place. The vine should
measure seven feet from tip to tip of
the arms. Eight shoots are to be Sc
lected, at, as near as possible, equal dis
tance from each other, being about one
foot apart Two bunches of fruit may
be allowed to each cane, and four canes
alternating are to be stopped, at half
trellis height. The other four are to be
allowed to grow full length. Atthe full
prnning the small canes are pruned to
six inches. The long canes are pruned
trellis height, and all cut loose, and let
lay on the ground. si7'. I
~. Tre FoURTH YEAR. s.,.,.
In aarIy snr;pr f,a m, fha xyinA ThA