Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-11-10
13RAPE CULTURE-NO. p


GRAPE CULTURE-NO. 2.
To the Editors of the Union and American:
. There are four methods of propagating
the grape; by seed, by cuttings, by layering
and by gratis.
To propagate from the seed it is necessary
to select fully ripe and the largest berries of
the best varieties. Be sure the berries are
thoroughly ripe. You may know this when
the stems assume the brown color peculiar
to the bearing wood of the vine and the
skin of the berries become swivelled. Sepa-
rate the seeds from the pulp, put them in
two or three times the amount of sand In
box and set them away until spring; keep
ing them moist.
AS early as possible in the spring, make a
bed of light, rich soil, spaded to the depth
of about twenty inches. Sow the seeds in
drills one foot apart and one inch apart in
the drill; cover about half an inch If the
following summer is dry and hot, it will be
well to protect the plants by light, tempo
rary arbor of brush or laths until they OBJ
tain vigor and substance.
AS the vines begin to run, put a small
stake to each about two feet high, and tie
them to the stakes witt rye straw, grass, or
any soft string. The succeeding fall or
spring they may be transplanted like vines
from cuttings, to test their bearing quail
ties, and cultivated precisely like vines in
the vineyard, which will be the subject of
subsequent article. 1t must be remembered
that propagating grapes from the seed is for
the sole purpose of obtaining new kinds.
No grape grower would think of planting
seed for the purpose of raising stocks to
graft upon; it is attended with too much
labor, risk, etc., and this being perhaps the
most reliable method of getting new varie-
ties of excellence, il is followed by many
persons in the country, hoping that some
seeding of merit may appear to reward
them for their labor.
The simplest and most expeditions man
ner of propagating grape vines is by cut
tings. This plan gives the best results, is
the one most usually followed, and may be
subdivided as follows: By single eyes, by
green wood, and by cutting in the open air.
Propagation by single eyes seems to have
gained more favor generally than any of the
foregoing methods. This plan is now, and
in all probability will continue to be, the
most extensively followed, although it
has arrayed against it quite num-
Der of intelligent cultivators, who
insist that it is an unnatural, and therefore,
injurious way to grow vines by ''steam. u
While the friends to this method assert that
it more clearly approximates the natural
mode of raising by seed, there being but a
small portion of the old wood to separate
| the young roots from the new growth. "That
great advantage is gained by securing an
early and vigorous start, and a season Of
| growth extended one or two months, result
| ing in large and well-ripened vines in the
| fall. And in this way the all-importani
conditions of perfectly healthy plants are
answered"
1t occurs TO my mind that this is the mos
| economical and certain Nicholas a zine
can be produced from every eye-while un
der the ancient plan Of propagating by cut
tings in the open air we only get one vint
for every three or four eyes.
As vines started under the singl,
| eye system require artificial treatmen
under glass, and may be supposed
to be attended with heavy expense, it may
be proper to give as full descrip
ton of the management as possible
As soon as the leaves have fallel
from the vines in the fall, TIN
firm, well-ripened wood of the last year
growth should be cut from the vines
Wood of medium thickness is preferred
and may be tied up in bundles, labelled an,
laid away in a cool cellar, in sand, or burie'
in the ground out doors, until you get read
to make up the cuttings, which may b
done in rainy or snowy weather when out
door work cannot be done.
A vineyard pruning knife made on tn
principle of scissors, and which can be OF
| to;n hov mt
decidedly the best instrument fo- maxim
cuttings. Two strokes of the knife is sutf
Gent for each cutting-the first about
third of an inch above the eye and slOpin
parallel with the eye, and the second Gu
about an inch and half below the eye an
at right angles to the slope of the buC
There are several forms for making cutting
but we adhere to the one just given.
These cuttings, if made during the viii
ter, should be put in boxes of tOlerably Or
loan or sand, mixing the sand or loan we
with them, then placed in a cool celia
there to remain until spring, when they al
to be planted in the hot bed or the prop
eating house.
Most persons are familiar with what al
called hot-beds, though do not think, |
a general thing, sufficient pains are take
with them to prove of much value in star
ing shoots from grape cuttings. A pit Il
size of the frame and sash to be used shou
, be dug, about twenty inches deep, where Il
, | subSoil is well drained; the soil thrown Of
on the sides to form bank for the sides
the bed; this should be filled with fire:
| stable manure well packed, then cover Il
surface with fine, pulverized soil to Il
+ | depth of five or six inches, put on the fran
| and bank the earth around it so as to pr
tect the bed. The cuttings may be brOug
4 from the cellar from the middle to the Ia
e | of February, and planted at an angle
about forty-fiVe degrees, leaving the eye ju
visible above the surface after the earth
pressed down close around them. Tn
S may be planted about two inches apal
: | The ordinary care and attention bestOw'
upon plants generally started under gla:
will be sufficient for the cuttings. In {
; succeeding fall or spring the plants will {
: TO transplant into the vineyard.
Notwithstanding the simplicity of Il
method, it is not considered an economic
: one, except in cases where a very few win
are wanted. In order to propagate eXte
It | sively, and at the same time economical
S and with less risk, the prOpagating hOu
| should be brought into use. On examiI
u ton of several plans Of buildings of d
S kind, it occurs to my mind that the folio
S ing rules, given for the construction Of
# house by Mr.. Strong, are eminently suit
to the condition of our country, because
Il its extremely simple construction and che;
Il ness, besides possessing, as l cOncei
marked advantages over other plans exa
ined. A. Cox