The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1870-10-21
.aglza zaaritnIinrai.2 .
Farm. GARDEN AND HeUsEHeLD
Grape Pruning.

form, 10 meet his and others wants
When 10 TiirH-The best time is lust at
the fall Of the vine leaf in October. Let
the main pruning be made at that time, If
1t be possible to command the time; but If
the work cannot then be done, do it if you
lean, before severe freezing weather; if not
then done, postpone il until there comes
regular thaw in winter-say a week or ten
days of soft, moist weather. when thefrost
Is nearly or quite out of the ground-and
then don't neglect your duty any longer.
Ho1o 10 PrlRs-Fhis IL the second ques-
ton, and one that is answered so variously
by writer's on grape growing, and is talked
OF SO oDpositely BY UigneroRs that an an
sEer in any way viii be said by some to be
assuming; but having studied the grape
pretty thoroughly, and having read every
treatise of which we have ever heard, and
practieed, or observed the practice, Of each
writer, we feel that what we say Of 'sHov
to Prune, !" if praeticed, viii result in sue
icess to the proprietor Of the vine on which
/ it is performed.
! Each variety almost, VIII, -aftsr'the first
two years, require a distinct system-so
that any general RUE for grape pruning of
our vines would fall to the ground if at
tempted 10 be praGticed. The grape grow
or must first learn the habit and character
ofhis variety, and then he can adapt its
pruning and training to mode or system
consOnant with its class.
But, of elbow to Prune," let US say, first
that summer prnning-that is. cutting
away of foliage after the blossom has OPEN
ed-is now counted, by the majority Of
rigIleronS. as an error; and the reason for
lhe error is. that each leaf and end Of q
shoot has a corresponding connection with
the spongioles or feeding endsof the roots,
aud once the leaf or shoot connecting
Herewith is broken, the spongiole rootlet.
| or feeding mouth, is Gffected-is closed
from its natural action, and, a. a eonse-
quence, rot and decay ensue, creating at
the root of the vine, fungoid disease
which, if the same system of summer trim
ming were persisted in, would, in few
years, result in apparent outward disease
OF the vine, and in rot and mildew Of the
fruit. ~ go.
Having said this much Of summer prur-
lug. let us now suppose You have vine
planted this past spring, and you have per-
mitted it, as you shOIld, to grow just as
many or Just as few shoots or vines as it
pleased; but now You want to put it into u
shape, so that next year it will increase in
strength Of root and prepare itself to give
you fruit the year following Take then
canes, selecting the largest and best in the
center, or as grown from the strongest
center bud. -sr T -afe-siz
This first season all vines may be accept
ably pruned in this way; but when the
growth In spring comes, 1t bshooves the
grower to know his vine and bis soil For
while Concord, Hartford, orNorton, etc,
will in good soil be the better for permit
ting the three buds to grow, tie Delaware,
Rebecca. MOttled, Elsinb0ro and some
others. will be better to have only two buds
permitted to grow. As the buds start in
spring there will be more or less of sucker
sprouts start from the root, and the dor
mant bud at base of the main bud will
often start; the vine must then be watched
and as soon as a shoot appears, other than
the two or three strong ones from the reg
ular buds, they should be at once rubbed
ont, and theneeforward, during the sum
ner rub or prune no more; let all grow;
Tor, although old time c1ltivators will tell
you to cut or pull away the laterals, We tell
you that the lateFa.s serve to add to the
size and vigor of the lower part OF the
cane, and the buds thereon, and every sd-
ditional ripened leaf adds to the volume
and strength of the root for tie coming
years aid.
:. Surprising your vine to hevs been Della
ware or Rsbecea,, or any of that class of
short jointed, comparatively slow growers;
bat if it has been Concord Hartford,
Wilder, etc, then you must add third
cane.
Aud now your season for pruning has =
again come, and BY it's pruning you hope
Tor fruit the coming season. Eich OF these
canes has three buds, aud the two upper o
buds on each cane are to produce fruit,
while the cane on the lower bud is 10 havs
whatever iruit it may set rabbed- away, =
and the canes trained for frui;ing another
year. tt- l- 'it.'
On old viDes-say those OF five or more
wears cid, and with such varieties as Con-
eord,- etc.-these canes should be much
longer, and have, when pruned IN autump,
from eight to ten buds EACH. and then IN
spring, each alternate bud should .be
rubbed o1t, Just before the blossoming of
the vine. This. with its four buds TO q
cane, It is supposed should have the lower
and the third buds rubbed out before the
setting of fruit while the upper and SEQ
ond- buds will give each three lunches,
making tweIvs lunches, full as much as
any young yme should bear - ies,lr11' I
50 much, in o condensed form, Of Chow
to Prune." Now, in answer TO our corre-
spondent's last question, G l-gf .-iI
Ho1o 20 TdErs SIPS from Oh YiRes for he
Purpose Of Gro,cing Nel1 Ones. win
suppose our inquirer proposes to grow his
cuttings in the open grounds the rage
and profit of growing grape roots IN fore.
ing houses has had its day, and forced
many man in debt for years. Then We
have only to say to him, that any well n
.pened wood cut with two eyes on is is all
that is requisite; and yet we confess spen-
chant for the old style of maIlet cutting. It
differs from the former only in the fact that
it is made with an inch or less Of the old
wood attached to the base of the cutting,
and in that attachment, or base, or crown,
is supposed to bs stored up greater
amount of vital life-giving power thar can
be contracted in any one. distinct bud -
that junction or connection being, IN fact,
illed with buds, dormant SO long as the
main bud exists, but ready TO do service as,
soon as that is destroyed
KEEPING Grapes FRESH. There are sew
eral practical modes: Que is to pick the
grapes lust before dead ripe, while they
are perfectly free from surface moisture,
and Immediately seal with wax the end Of !,
the stem, or any place where a grape has
been removed. Nov place ia boxes with
cotton batting, 3 layer Of fruit between
layers Of batting, so that one cluster shall
not touch another; cover ciOSety anu Keep
in cool dry place. Those who have put
down fruit in this way say that they came
out fresh in the spring. It must be re-
membersd not to let The fruit come n con- d
tact with the wood of the box. Sic s-.
Another method, and one which IS very
effectual in keeping grapes fresh during
winter is, 20 pick as before directed keep
them in a cool, dry place three or four
DAYS, then pack in paper boxes which will
hold teu or twelve pounds each, placing
sheet of paper between each layer. keep IN
a cool dry room-rOt in cellar. Not
mere than three layers of grapes should be
allowed in a box.
SHEEP TICKs.-A writer to the American
Institute Farmers Club gives the follow
ing method to expel sheep ticks: feed
sulphur. 1t not only keeps them of sheep,
bus drives them. feed it With salt Mod
in equal parts, at the rate Of three pounds
of sulphur at one feed to 100 sheep. Then
after 1--WE days ! give another dose. the
same as at first Before l begin dosing,
ct them get salt hungry.
DEAD head on the steamer Palestine,
,lvir,o, ~, the Ohio river. was told the last