Northern Ohio journal. [volume] (Painesville, Ohio) 1872-1896, 1873-11-15

ported Othctaiiy as 30 per cent Oh anaVer-
age yield, when in truth it should not be
over fifty! In the great potato growing
counties along the Jake shore, where the
principal surplus is produced, the fear
of damage by the bugs-especialiy in
Lorain, Cuyahoga and Lake-caused a
reduction, of at least one-third of the
usual number of acres planted; then the
drouth, and afterwards excess of wet
and layages of bugs, caused loss of
full one-third that was planted. But
where the crop escaped these evils the
yield was quite fair, and the reporters
for the Department being mostly in
counties where'few potatoes are planted,
were not posted on the subject.
Our suggestion is that the Department
should abandon the business of buying
and distributing garden seeds, and apply
its funds and forces to the more legiti-
mate business of, collecting full and re-
liable statistics of the crops of the coun-
try.
ON PRUNING GRAPE VINES.
We intend TO ~prupe most, Of -our, six
jacresof vineyard this montlSof the next,
though we do nor think it is material
what time It is done between the falling
of the leaves in autumn and the starting
ofsheysa6 in early spfiasI aIIOO Z
The mode of doing the work will be a
little different fsep psnal owing to the
injury done to the vines by the past win
ter, and the large amount of dead wood
to be cut away. This will really be a
benefit to many vines, giving opportun-
ity for renewing their form, and bring
ing the bearing wood on to the lower
parts of the trellis instead of on the top.
In fact, most vines that we have seen
are now in very good shape for bearing
fair crops of fruit for some years to come,
or can be put into such shape by judi
cious pruning.
The first thing to be done is, Of course,
to cut away all the dead stems and
branches of last year, as near to the
ground as may be- Then of the several
long vines or. shoots that have been
grown this season from near the ground,
select two, three or four, according to
the age and strength of the vina nd
the amount of space it is designed to
. cover, and shorten these to three, four
or five feet, the greater length only for
very strong vines having plenty OF
space. IN the vineyard, where the vines
are eight feet apart and the canes strong,
we prune to about three feet, the two
horizontal arms. and third one, nearly
uprights not asite SO long; sometimes
in strong growing sorts allowing four
canes. and training in fan shape. But
the weak or slender growing sorts, like
the Delewares, should not have more
than twosor three canes, andS these only
of moderate length.
Having the strongest and best canes
selected for bearing, cnt away all the
rest close to the ground or main stem
OR if numerous canes have come up
from the root, cut them off as low as
possible below the surface of the ground,
to prevent the growth of water-sprouts.
- Next spring and summer care must
to thin out the punches of the young
fruit as soon as it is fairly set, so as to
prevent overbearing-which has been
the cause of SO much damage to vine
yards. We shall be- likely 10 speak of
this again at the proper time.
PROTECTING VINES FOR WINTER.
'. To AVOID the ,recurrance of another
failure OF the crop, We intend to lay
down part of our grape vines and
cover them slightly with earth. With
our mellow soil and the use of plow
turning furrow each side towards the
vines, this can be done with very little
work, especially this year, when all fhe
old wood is cut away and the vines are
bent down. A very slight covering
or even none at all, if the vines are
held down fiat on the surface OF the
ground, so as to be under the snow most
of the winter-will no doubt be sufl-
cient protection.
Where the wood taken off in pruning
isa@ted, for Cuttings, the sooner fhe
work is done the better; and care should
be taken to keep it from freezing and
drying after having been cut off. Store
IT in,a cellar, or cover it with, straw In
alcool place until lt-can be made into
cgs, uttinthen bury.in mellow earth or
sand until planting time.
WHAT KINDS OF GRAPES ARE WANTED.
SWe.lesrn from nursery men and tieal-
ers that there that there is quite an ac-
tive demand for Concord vines in all
parts of the country; Hartford Prolific
comes next, as these two are found most
hardy and reliable; then. THE Delaware
and Wilder, Iona, Salem, Eumelan, and
several others for amateur and garden
planting. In some few localities, as in
Southern Ohio, there is still some dispo.
sition to plant vineyards of Catawba : in
few localities in Michigan, also, it il
said there is demand for Catawba vines
for vineyard planting. The Ives also /,
called for in Southern Ohio and few
other sections, both for wine and for th,
marketsI yIp1 : u bog al ~ * &
THE NEW GRAPES IN MICHIGAN,
Mr.. B. Hathaway, of Little Prairie
Ronde, Michigan, gives in the Count,,
Gentleman the results of his experience
with numerous varieties of grapes TO
the past five or ten years, from whicl
we extract the following, as being most
ly in accordance with our own exper
ience or observation:
am situated thirty-five miles to tn