The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1868-09-26
AGRICULTURAL.
Crane Culture.

W
ern exposure is best. but almost any
exposure will do if the land is IN q
good state of cultivation, and good
enough for a crop of corn. If the
land IS new all the better. When all
Is ready tor the pillow, put two heavy
teams 10 blowing; let the first team
plow as deep as possible, and have
The second team to follow after, and
plow as deep as possible In the bot
tom Of the furrow, thus breaking it
up double depth, and the deeper the
better. All labor spent in preparing
the soil will be paid back hundred
fold in the end. When the vines
Il ay be planted at once, if they are
to be in the Fall-which is far best
but IL Spring planting is the order of
the day, pillow the land again in the
Spring exactly as at first, only in the
opposite direction from the first,
blowing the deep blowing and the
rains, snow, freezing and thawing,
will make all ready for the success
tul raising OF grapes in perfection.
In short, get the land in the best pos
stole condition, and as deep as posi-
bic. When so prepared, buy the very
best vines aud those that were not
started in hot house, for they make
poor vines Lay off your ground In
rows perfectly straight, eight feet
apart one way, next measure off the
two outside rows, and plant stakes
six feet high. just eight feet apart in
the outside rows, the entire length
Of the rows. Next stretch line from
the first stake in one row, to the
first stake in the other, then set a
stake at each crossing of the line and
the iurrow, then take up the line
and stretch it from the second
stake IA one row to the second one in
the other, and set the stakes as be-
fore, and go through the entire vine
yard in the same way. Then you
arc ready 10 plant. To do this, dig
hole on the east side of the stake
large enough to receive the vine
roots without cramping, dig a hole
SIX inches deep close to the stake,
and eight inches deep at the sides
and at the end further from the
stake, thus leaving it deepest at the
sides and end to allow the ends of
the roots to slope downward. When
the holes are ready, take the vines
from the ground or wet moss, and
never allow the roots to become dry
for moment; cut the top back to
about SIX inches in length, preserv-
ing two good buds at least, then if
one year old vines, cut the roots off to
eight inches IN length, and if two
year old cut them off to one foot in
length. Dig holes ten by fourteen
inches ia diameter for one year old
vines, and twelve by eighteen inches
for two year old vines. Now put the
vines in the holes with all the roots
carefully spread out, with the vine
resting against the stake on the east
side, so you may always know where
to find the vine and the roots; next
fill up the hole-in Fall planting
which is much the best-thus cover
ing the vine entirely up. In the
Spring, after danger of freezing and
take out half the dirt that covers the
roots. This allows the warmth of
the sun and rains to penetrate the
roots. 1t also assists in keeping
the vines clear of weeds, as they can
the holes will gradually fill up. If
the vines are planted in the Spring,
I'LL up gradually during the Summer.
w hen the vines are set out, the most
thorough cultivation must be given
them always after. The vines will
start number of shoots which are all
to be pinched off except the strongest
one which is to be carefully tied to
the stake and kept clear of suckers
aud side branches during the first
Summer. Ten rows of strawberries
nay be planted between the rows,
and will do well for two or three
years, but many prefer to plant moth
ing but vines on the land. About the
middle of AUGUST, the young vines
shoul1 be cut back to. three feet high.
This lows the vine to ripen Its wood
the better. After the frost has taken
the leaves of and just before freezing,
the vines should all be cut Offsx inch
es above the ground and the short
piece covered up with earth. Next
Spring uncover after frosts are
past. Now if all has gone we'll
we have a strong healthy root
that will put out strong shoots
that will grow rapidly that
second year in the vineyard. Now
pull off all shoots except the two
strongest, and pinch off all side
branches beyond the first leaf and
keep the ten vines tied to the stake
during the entire season. They ought
10 be half inch In diameter by the
end of the season, and from ten to
fifteen feet long If allowed to grow,
bn they should all be cut off when
tlaGy. are SIX feet high, so the wood
will ripen perfectly by the end of the
season, when the vines are ready
for the trellises; many kinds are
used but we will only describe what
we rcgtrd rs the best, which is made
rs follows: After removing the
stakes which may be used again,
take white oak posts three inches in
diameter and six feet long, and set
them IN the rows eight feet apart,
halt way between the vines, ten feet
deep: nextltake two strips of lumber
sixteen feet long, and one and a-fourth
inches thick and two inches wide.
Nail one on to the post one foot
from the ground, and the other even
with the top of the post. Take No.
sixteen galvanized iron wire and
fasten pieces from one Stat to the
other SIX inches apart vertically along
the entire length of the trellises.
There is one hundred and sixteen feet
OF wire of this size In a pound. When
the trellis is ready, bring the vines
down 60 the lower bar and turn one
to the r, ght and one to the left, and
tie them there and cut each vine off
at the middle Of the post; thus leav-
ing each arm to1r feet long, and In
tue position where they are to remain,
and where 1T is fully established.
Next Spring shoots will put out from
elch joint OF the vine, one of which