Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-12-18
FARM AND GARDEN.

L good deal OF attention Is being PAID
10 the growing Of the grape in Tennessee,
and there is considerable inquiry as TO the
mode of cultiYating the vine. The expe-
rience of those in the Southern States
especially who have grown the grape sue
cessfully is worth a great deal TO begin
ncrs. We therefore give the experience
and observation of Mr.. II. r. Robey in
Eastern Virginia, as communicated to
TJHon'8 Journal Of Horticulture. Mr..
Robey says:
We claim to have the soil and climate
TO grow the most vigorous vines and supe-
riCr grapes. We have 10 large bearing
vineyards now: nearly all were des-
iroyed during the war. Every thing here
is now in its infancy. Any good corn
land here will produce good grapes: but
the best is a chocolateOr brown loan; and
when fresh from the woods. all the bet
ter
In January, 1867 ! cleared up four
acres Of land from the woods, removed
nearly all the stumps, and did not allow
any OF the trash or leaves TO be burnt;
ploughed the land ten inches deep, and
planted carly potatoes in rows four feet
apart
In April ! planted Concord aud
Catawba grapes lin yearling p'ants) in
every alternate row, and eight feet in the
step, using no manure The potatoes
were taken up in July. The vines made
a growth Of about six feet, and some
laterals Last winter ! cut them down TO
two feet, and leIt one eve to each lateral.
This spring they started vigorously. |
allowed all the branches TO grow; and
they have made from thirty 10 sixty feet
new wood, notwithstanding we have had
The greatest drought ever known. The
vines have now matured from Ten 10
Niorty-tiyc lunches Of grapes, ready 10
De cut and made into wine.
Ny icllis is made of heavy while-Oak
stakes, six feet and a half long, sharpened,
and driven eighteen inches into the ground;
making the trcllis five feet high For
Stats ! used ccdar-pOlcs, halved, and nailed
10 the post The first Stat put two feet
from the ground. one at the top, and one
midway prefer low trellis, as the
crop is more easily gathered. This irelis
presents 4 very rough appearance; but it
is strong. II requires eight hundred stakes
10 the acre. ] get them from my
own woods; and the cost for getting
the stakes and Stats, and putting
ihcm MP is twelve dollars for an
acre. know, when this communication
is read by the knowing ones and the sci
entifc, they viii laugh and say he is a
greenhOrn for letting his vines bear 50
young, aud allowing so much wood TO
grow. In reply, | will say, l have been
thirty years growing grapes, and have
tried every way laid down in the books;
close pruning three years before
grape was allowed on the vine,
and then only a few punches. Close
pruning think a great injury to
The vine: the growth will be too great,
and the wood soft Visitors from other
States say / am wrong for allowing my
vines 80 bear so young, and predict they
will soon be exhausted. | tell them thirty
years practice and experimenting enables
me b. know what l am about. 4 gen
ileman from New York has recently pur-
chased land here and will plant hun
dred acres in grapes. lie said lie would
trench his land two feet; but whom he
saw nv vines, and found that the land
had only been plOughCd ten inches, he
said he would abandon the trenChing
and he had long had experience in grape
growing.
The Catawba and Concord Grape will,
in this chocolate loan, bear from five to
eight good crops of grapes. When the
old vines begin to fail by thr grapes rot
ting. ] turn out strong cane, starting
near the ground in the spring, layer
this cane half way between the vines, in
"a wcIl-prepaDed bed this layer will in
twovears bear a good crop Of grapes. The
old vines, after two years more of bear
ing, may he taken up. In this way you
can keep up good young vineyard, pro
dguinra full crop free from rot. The
culture Of the grape, and manufacture OF
wine. inthe Southern States, is an interest
worthy of much more attention than is
supposed The profits are very large for
iHe labor bestowed; and there is no danger
of oycrstocking the market Our climate
istho grape climate; our soil the graTc
soil The regular hea; of our summers de-
,rlops all the good qualities Of the grape
IN GREAT prrlcCti0n. This fall, my vines
win have the second trimming. Ii the
cane is very strong, and the laterals good,
shall cut off all the branches and suck
ars. ton the cane 10 six feet, and cut the
lateral Ia0chcs, leaving from two TO
live eyes When the cane is not so
strong. and has but few side-branches, !
leave two. train the one that has the most
spurs OF bearing wood perpendicular, and
the other horizontal, the latter more 10
make bearing wood for another year.
don't like TO use the manure as
lone> "a, the vine can do with
ont IL. Animal manure should
never be used after the vines begin &c
lear. il causes the vines 10 grow too rank,
fbn wood is not so firm. and mildew Gnl
rot will follow. Ashes and bone-dust al,
fine best manurcs. The fertility Of tht
soil may be kept up for many years by
forest leaves. earth from the woods oI
Gitch-banks, and any vegetable mattel
Won can gather up. This may be spTeaC
upon the land and lime sown upon tn
top.
Now ~ the question What varieties o
crane arc most proftablcg ! answer, III
much abused Catawba and Concord.
bqvr crown the Catawha for thirty years
and il has always given good crop O
sound grapes on young vines Tor sa.
,iJbt wears After that age, a yer.
wet season will produce considerable rot
T. makes a better wine than any other va
ripty have tried. and the wine viii sci
lar more money. The Concord Is NOR
vigorous grower, and viii bear earlier, an
a larger crop Of grapes; but the wine sell
fuY less price. The Clinton is yer
prominent grape ID is much sweeteT her
than in the Northern States. Th
Hartford Prolific bears large crops
hai one half of The bunch Iipens and drop
h.fore the other half natures and "
look upon It as o. no value The Ives
good grower and bearer, free from rot
ripens here with The Concord, but is nc
50 GOOD. Rogers 9, = and 70 are GOO
grapes, but no better than The Ca'awbs
and rot on Young vines. No. is goo
nearer and of fine quality No. J grow
and fruits well a fine table grape Unio
VILLAGE rois badly. Delaware is q Yer
poor grower, except upon deep e. 4
soil. on amy other soil il mjllcws ha1l,
and the grape will not Tipcn. Iona vi
.ot GROW here, except upon sandy sol
tAc prapc Is VERY much like the Caiawm
nrt not So rich CGyaho-a grows and tru
We'll, and is very promising. Alvey is M
If the most promising grape | have eY
.rovn. vim. very vigorous, bears emo
nous. uprfcciIv free from ROT, fully ecu
.a the Delaware in quality. The bunch
.~. ALWAYS finn and healthy ii Tipc1
h.r, the dr-t of September l. viii gre
we'll fg any ..fr. hut like others, Il has
pr.foruye Why This grape has been
lille noticed, seems sGaH-'- IL Is Sill
pg,saG by none, and cquallcd by few.
has all The good qualities 90 rccommcl
f.. except size. The berries are OF II