Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1868-10-08
Hsyala @ orrespo atteuce,

aeyata @ orresp Il ttence
Msssss. EDIToRs. . Having been requested
BY ona Of you, to say something through
your paper upon tia subject of grapes.
have consented after much hesitat ion 70 do
$50; believing that | may do some good, as far
as my experience goes, in giving proper d
rection to the subject, and restraining the
though.less ardor Of many who may engage
in this most fascinating enterprise, regardless
Of varieties OF fruits or locality for vineyards.
may say thatI started the first regular
vineyard ia the Valley, from native grapes.
together with few foreign varieties; as the
Sweet water, Kleffner, Mller's Burgundy, and
0porto Other vineyards had been planted
Years before; but all were set with foreign
varieties, and all were abandoned IN few
years, Tor want of adaptation to Tie climate
and soil. With occasional one that did well.
! prepared piot of FIVE acres, in the fall Of
! eighteen hundred and fifty FIVE, upon an Gle
yated situation near Strasburg on yellow
slate, TO the depth Of twenty and twenty-five
inches and when in order, as by narrowing,
/ level.ng, ana raking, the vines were set ex-
actly SIX feet each way 50 that each acre con
/ tanned twelve hundred and twenty FIVE plants
/ This was done under the superintendent Of 9
! German, well acquainted with the cultivation,
I and general treatment Of vines, IS we'll az the
manufacture ami handling o. wines My
/ American varieties were the Isabella, Cataw-
ba, Bland, Schuy lLill and Clinton. When
mytyines bore their first crop, | vas delighted
| in the highest degree with my success the
vines bore well ans The sruit iipeued perfect
ly
| My next crop was better than The Ggsi
many vines bearing that did not the previous
| year Nothing but success seemed now to
await nae, until in the spring Of my fifth crop,
passing through my vineyard, one morning i2
| May, | MAS struck with the singular appear
anee the blossoms presented, they were COW
! cred with white down not unlike the dust
upon "a inilivrs hat, Chi5 Was the nlildew, aua
wherever It appeared my prospect for grapes
was raiIled Tor that season. About The lasg OF
May, and first Of Juae, another enemy had
aSsaiied them; this was The rot. Several REM
ed.es have been used to osercome the evils re
fered 9. but can say nothing 1rom nay own
experience. They use The suiphate Of lime
OF potash, l!.a Aouc Of sulphur, or ansIacked
lime
THIS disease exhibits itself by a little brown
spot on the side OF The berry; yoa may no,
tice amongst Jo1r VINES, one day, a bunch
here and ii ere, With this indication, and may
lhiuS very h'ue wrong; but in three or four
days, more than half yuar fruit may nave fal
len upon the ground, while nlaAy clusters still
hang suruAA and dscolored. | mention this 10
show tAat the varieties in ny vineyard, CON
siJered then The most reliable, nave proved,
alter the fourth year, vely rncertain; bearing
q good crop only once IN three years, after me
nildew and rot had ;.t9ched them and this
know 10 be he case with many others, and
that t)o n spite Vi aay skill or peculiarly III
the culture. When I gathered my fourth crop,
was more than ordinarily pleased with my
success, believing that it would serve SIS AZ
example 10 others, and hat / might live to
see every hill AMI mountain side q Virginia
beauiifed vii vineyards thns creating
source OF itnmence revenue from sores the:
had hitherto beeD considered unB ortAy Of
cultivation.
viii not attempt 10 argue tae question as
10 the cause Of 10, ana inAdew, in this place.
knowing tAat ], is a disputed one, and that very
;tie good can arise lrom its discussion. as
every one who mas thought upon the subject
4&s 1is osu views in regard L. die cause or
causes. mention it Is tact, that the rot
and nidew wilt be found TO be he mos, fear
Lui enemies iAaJ vin.eIns viii encounter iii
the Atlantic States; Il they adopt those .varie-
1es, vita their hides and much free juice
There are certain localities. high. up among the
mountains, where I an sure exceptions must
occur, and when those who plant the vines
above mentioned or any OF ;heir relatives, via
succeed but I coution these contemplating
the grape enterprise against indiscriminats
location, LID also against buying Of every
nursery man, whatever he offers you as aeYy
and most certain. You are sure IL almost ey-
cry instance to pay an eX rbtant price for Z.
vine with new name, that has been cultiva-
ted among YOU for years under another.
Among att he varieties which [ cultivate,
the 0por,o and Clinton are the only ones
which have resisted he evils above mention
ed. Their growth IS so similar as 10 wood,
foliage. and fruit, thai no one hat he most
observaul conld perceive The difference. Both
have most luxuiiant wood, Of Iron rus / cclor
both large green serrated leaves, and both
bear nTed;un sized blnches Of a deep
purple color, wiki light purple bloom which
when rubbed o. leaves the berry near
~ black The Oporso, however. when opened
IS found TO retain It's deep purple color
throughout lis whole structure, the taste
harsh, somewhat acrId, especially when not
fuiiy ripe, leaving he toigue and lips with
SENSATION Of sonrness after eating them the
juice IS dark blood red color, with scarlet
bubbles When poured into a goblet, The
clinton resembles It SO much IA appearance
thai The Only Distinguishing Characteristic are
The taste ana internal appearance. The Gin
ion is i We, pleasan; table grape being rich
and purely sweet with no excess Of free Juice
AMI lie color u the latter, much lighter than
that .. the Op0rto. fne UPorto is grape
which has been misnamed according o my
Judgement, and as Will presently saow,l Ives
Seeding. Ives, ain told IL an Ohio nau and