Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1872-02-15
For the Bel mont Chronicle.
Practical Hints on the Culture of
the Crane.


To the readers Of the Chronicle who
are not experienced in the successful
growing of the grapes, or that have
not standard works on the subject, the
following article is submitted for ia
BILE guide to all who are, or may engage
in tie grape business in this part OF the
State.
In order to a successful cultivation Of
the grape in any Country, or section OF
a country, certain principles must be
observed, and closely followed up.
1st. The grape vine is a creeping
plant and requires support.
End. The vine bears its fruit on the
branches produced the preceding year.
3rd. No wood or branch bears fruit
but one year.
4th. The largest and best matured
wood, bears the best and most fruit.
5th. In whatever position vine may
be laid, whether horizontal, perpendie-
ular or oblique, the strongest branches
and best matured wood, and the best
fruit are produced the farthest from the
root. M h.
9Th. The growth of the branches cor
respond to the growth and extension of
its roots. g.s-..ll s...ses-s t-s
And hence, whatever may be the
support of the vine rope that on port
trellis, arbor building, or bush, in order
to have succession of well matured
fine fruit, you must have q succession of
well ripened, well matured wood every
year. m .5iz5a sIlG id ~ n
sTaasgCa al PRUNING. I'd r1fff
Different notions are maintained by
nearly every person, that has had little
or had no experience in the cultivation
[of the grape, but as no definite rules
can be given for pruning of old neglect
ed vines or badly managed vineyards,
therefore, the following jilaciples are
given, SO that any one Sysno has Il de-
Ginning vineyard or old neglected
vines, can improve or recruit thereon
| by inspecting his vines and applying
those principles with discretion and
Judgment. i'i'ii - -
AS far as training the vine is con-
cerned in the various systems, the sci
lence of pruning is the same. Hence,
after the ground is well prepared, we
set out eight feet apart each way, two
! or three year old well rooted vines,
cut down to two or three buds, and af-
ter the buds start rub all off but one.
The next year cut back to three or four
buds, and after the buds get good
start rub all off but two branches, tie up
/ TO a stake or trellis. The next year
trim back as before, but encourage -four
branches to grow and rub offail others.
And the third year top off two of the
canes or branches to about four feet in
length, cut the other two back to two
or three buds, and grow two more new
canes for the'next years crop. So the
System must be followed year after
year alternately, cutting away the cid
4wood and supplying the space or trellis
with new. And when the vines have
age and are weIl established, or, if the
vines are strong grown, as the Concord
in strong ground, more canes ol
branches may be encouraged to grow
4 say six, seven or eight, but the alternate
ilsystem must be kept up. $3.50 -
4 / am of decided opinion that where
4 the ground is sufficiently strong, that
the trellis system with posts seven OF
Ieight feet high, arranged North anC
lSouth with tree pieces of Iath, or pole
lattaehed, about two feet apart. But the
following extracts from the writings o
the most experienced will enable any
lone to decide for himself a
From the Rev. John Lawson, London
7tl717, "That the more the branches o
lany tree are carried horizontally, the
more apt and better disposed that tres
lis to bear fruit; and consequently the
more upright and perpendicular thu
branches are led, the more disposed
I that tree is to increase in wood and
less in fruit. @
"But of all other works, that which
reserve to be performed in this month
! .lfNov.) is the pruning of the vines TO
= the winter, which is to be done will
great Judgment and discretion, if fai
and good fruit is to be expected. In the
performance of which work, therefore
be sure to leave few,an those the thick
: lest and ablest, of the last years branch
es, taking the small entirely away from
, the place where they shoot. But theI
the chiefest art in this work is SO tt
order the matter that no part of tht
} trellis be left naked or unf1rnisheC
Il with bearing wood. For which purpos'
teVery wear some of the old wood mus
q be cut down to the ground, with view
lof having young wood to bear fruit the
Succeeding year at the bottom laying
tsuch branches as horizontally as ma.
!, be. s1sa 3sa3E e-;1s a-liiaa
! l. "Fhe very ableSt branches. of all 0
. this last years wood speak of, are to b'
pruned to about two feet along, and thl
rest to about three, four or five buds
4 still observing to leave shorter brancl
between two longer, by which means al
Slingenius operator may order the mat
ter SO that the fruit may lie at right dis
tance in all parts of the trellis prett,
equally" Hizsisr- u =
Winter is the time to prune crap,
vines, but I prefer February to Novem
i Der, from the simple fact, that in earl.
pruning you have to leave two or thre'
I more buds, than you should on accoun
of winter killing, but in order to say,
|, the wood for cuttings November woul6
I be preferable. - ,,; 5,
@l Many have come to the conclusion b.
long experience that the excessive
pruning on the European plan will no
: do for this country But in. order t
: obviate the difficulty of overbearing
large amount of. fruit must be taken of
Especially the young vines .gs :.
! 5n SOIL AND LOCALITY. y
$ 1t is not my purpose to give detail
led treatise upon the culture OF the crap
n lin its various departments, but sinpi.
to give few practical directions o.
s pruning as the grape raising has bee
: regarded asa failure in this section, an
i it is chiefly owing to perverted sys
a tenn of the science. But the folloWiny
Iextract on soil and locality by Mr.
o. Lodge ofDeleware, so important to a
: persons that wish to engage in tn
+ grape business / deem it worthy of
|, place in this eSSay and containing fact
: the most reliable, r.fras.,g ,,as.y y
v "Upon the character of the soil an
q the locality or exposure, depends, in
j Grapes grown ina damp, rich, heav,