The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1869-01-28
Written for the Democratic Press.
CULTIVATION OF THE GRAPE.

History informs us that hundreds of
years before the commencement of the
Christian Era, the Cultivation of the
vine occupied no trifing attention
among the husbandmen of the then
most civilized nations of the earth.-
Neither history nor tradition, can take
our minds back to the time when the
grape was first known to men, not on
ly as the most delicious of fruits, but
also as great regulator of the human
stomach. And, from the time before
history recorded events, down to the
present, as science, civilization, and
general intelligence flashed their lights
upon, and opened up the minds and
the actions of men, and elevated and
purified social intercourse, so has the
cultivation of the grape been extended
from nation to nation, and from conti-
nent to continent, until its area is en-
closed and bounded only by the limits
of the proper climates, and the voices
Of thousands of our best, Gn1 most
scientific men agree in pronouncing it
the most wholesome of all the fruits
given on earth to men, while there is
no single tongue of an, intelligent be-
ing that can be found to say that from
well directed experience or obserya-
ton, the high reputation the grape has
enjoyed for more than forty centuries
has been misplaced. Hence it is
brought before us with such high and
universal recommendations, as may
well challenge objection, and demand
our attention.
The first question then is, arc we
within the grape producing isotherm !?
Actual experience has demonstrated
that we rare; and, that while along
blue Erie's shore, the more delicate
varieties protected from the sudden
and extreme changes from heat to
cold by the water tempered atmos-
phere, may flourish better than with
us, yet experience has assured us,
that many, and in fact the most valu-
able varieties will grow to the highest
state of perfection, in any part of Por-
tage county. | am frequently asked,
does not the grape require sandy
soil Upon this point let me be well
understood Isay to youm positive
ly, no. Amy soil of Portage County
that win produce good corn, will pro-
duce good grapes.
How TO PREPARE THE SoIL.-If the
water line, or hard pan, is not at least
three feet below the surface, the land
should be we'll underdraincd, which
can be most successfully done by dig
ging bitches diagonallyz across the de-
scending ground, to the depth of
about three feet and laying drain tile,
or filing with eobble stones to the
depth of twelve to fifteen inches, then
throwing the earth back into the ditch !;
it costs more determination than labor
t6aIraih lands d tt requires but few
courses if properly laid to make a
square acre of ground sufficiently dry
for any purpose. But this is a matter
30 well understood, that it needs no
further comment from me in this con-
nection. Having selected land that is
naturally dry, or prepared itsby un-
derdfainage, weD now arrive at the
preparation of the soil for planting.
First make your land as rich by the
use OF well rotted manure, as you
would to grow first class crop of
corn; then plow as deepas you can.
If you can plow fifteen inches deep,
all the better. If you take green
sward foff fall setting, plowit in June,
and when well rotted cross plow as
deep as you can, cultivate or harrow
it well until it is as fine as you would
make it for a wheat field or an onion
bed. The vines should be set in the
Fall, any time when the weather is suit
ahls from the fifteenth of October I'M
1.-THE fifteenth Of November, or in
the spring from the fifteenth of April
until the middle of May. All things
being ready, Fall setting is the best,
as the grape root never lies dormant,
and when properly set in the fall, il
will be ready in the spring to start
with the first favorable weather, hav-
ing through the early thaws sent oui
thousands of fibrous roots but little
larger than horse hair, these little
feeders, early take nourishment from
the ground, and Immediately com.
lnence filing the larger roots with
sap. Spring setting does we'll, ex-
cepting. only, the first years growth
will not be quite as large, as, when
properly set in the Fall.
We now come to the selecting OF
varieties, ihRhich we must be guided
by hardness OF vine, productiveness
and quality of fruit, and kind of sol
in which we are to plant. And here
/ will say don't be humbugged, will
high-prieed, far-fetched, new varieties
for nine times out of ten, they art
worse than worthless, you losing YOU
money, losing the use of, f,your land
losing the labor in and about them be
slowed, and what is worse than all be.
beside lost to life, the use of the deli.
cious fruit. SO long as it took to test
the miserable cumberer of the ground
OF the varieties of well established
reputation, we must place the Concord
at the head. The vine is strong an6
vIgorons grower, thriving in any wei
drained soil, from sand to heavy clay
1t commences fruiting the first or sec
ond year from setting; produces ,
large compact bunch of fruit; the Der
ry is large, color BLUSH stock, covered
with a,rich white blossom; it is yer!
sweet, shd ripens from the first, t.
the tenth of September; it is an excel
lent table and wine grape, but not
good keeper; the vino seems to d