, 1874-01-31

Grippe Culture --- Varieties --- spirn,
TrnlninT -- 'E7lo Dniry ." rho Yield
Of EDttik--k,ricn oR Nlil1k-.Esttttcr Ox
CllccxG.-I'hc Wcntllrr.

Trnlninw -- I7,o Dntry -" rho Yield
Of EDtEk-~pricn 0R Hlillk-.E5ttttcr Or
CilccxGs.:Ihc weather..
From Cur agricultural Correspondent.
CnAMrAroN, ILL.,, Jan. ~, 1874.
Tho subject Of grnpo-culturo for tho farmer is
ono tint llns received too little attention. Ask
tho farmer Why ho does not grow n supply of
grnpen for his family, mud lo will bo npt 10 ro-
ply TINT ho docs not know how, aiul lint grapo-
culture iB 1nystory known only to skilled
gardeners, mud involves too much of lalor, too
mucl, of pinching, and too much Of TROLLS work.
A letter FROM Dr. G. II. Wright Of Mtamont,
Ill., inquiries, trst, what Is tito best timber for
grnpo-stakes, and what Is thoir probal,lo cost
por 100? Beoond, III there plaiu, concise book
on the
BrECrAL MODE OF TRAINING?
"Tho Farm and uardon" was lilo first to do
scribe this mode Of training. Who ia tho in
vcntor, or whore lilo plan originated, cannot
sny. MY attention wns called to It on II visit to
tho vjnoyardA nonr Alton; mud it occurred to mo
that It's simplicity would commend 1t to tho
farmer who bad littlo timo to giyc to complex
rules Of grnpc-cnlture.
This p1an Ia tho most simple md lonst oxron- =
sivo Of a}l tint have Bcen practicod; and
hayo also great faith in 1t for vinoyard-cnlturo
on large scale. at this time havo something
over IN moro Of vineyard on this plan; and havo
grown many tons Of fruit for market III the most
satisfactory mnnnor. There Is no syBtcm
that gives 80 uniform lnrgo clusters ns this,
ns those at tito bottom Of tho vino arc
as large ~ those n. tho top. III 1872 grapes
thus grown sold for cents pound higher tllnn
tIloHo on TROLLS aud stakes, In tho ordinary man-
| ner.
or VARIETIES.
have tested fifty to eixty varieties in my
grounds, but tho Concord is the only ono that
has returned steady profit. Tho Hartford
produces flne cron. but, on tho whole ia Of no
| points farther aouth como in competition with
them, aud, ns tho Hartford fruit ia inferior, it
docs not soil 80 readily. Tho Ives Inns not thus
far mot my expectation. It is loss hardy than
1aat yoar OH aon,o 300 fonry ycar-old vines wllilo
on tho san,o number Of Concorly, tero woro
GOO pounds. Az regards soil aud u.s.
poet, there WAS no difference. Bomo
81 The oEera 1;t srasa apes sayS go0a crop IN 1872
dncnl somc good crops, but il not sufficiently
reliable to mako it q desirable variety to plant
for market. layc Ind eonc good crops Of
Catawba, hut. in tho winter Of 1875 most Of tho
vines woro killed. On tho whole, tho Concord il
tho only ono that hive found suited for mar
ket-purposeB; but 1t is to be hoped that no shall
he able to find at least TINT iH carly and
ono lator n tho season, that will be equplly val
| unblo.
I nm now speaking Of grnpcB TINT, In
this Latitude require no protoction in win
ter. Whnt may bo done with extra labor
In laying down and covorlng, is quito
@ anotsof t4 thing @ i The xi farmer I'd Manta E;st ,,
n worry little caro- two Or thrco times = yoar, will
produces fine crop Of fruit, Of quality that can
DO 1lsod for family food.
After tho farmer Inns learned low to raise
L. -A4n
to moro delfoato' varioties. We win now proceed
to answcr tue inquiries Of Mr.. Wright.
TIMBER FOR STAKES.
In this part Of tho State large quantities Of
osago-o -ol ango etokes may DO Ind nt from 50 IT,
81 per 1,000. These stakes arc from 2 to
inches III diameter mud q feet long. They nrt
obtained from neglected hodges, that must bs
tllinnod for plashing, or cut back to form Il more
uniform growth. Tho stakns In my vineyard
have bcen obtained from this source, "a part ot
them from my own hedges, and part b,
rtrchaac There Ia nothing equal to this tim
bor for this purpose, OF tho score Of cteapnes:
mud durability, in sections whero tho troo II
grown. In tls abscnco Of this timber we mus
our native timber, tho 1rr-oalt ia tho boAt but
in this respect, wo must be content with Win
We can got, providing tl,at it is . rol1nd stake
from to inches In tiiamotor anu foot long
for we do not want stakes tint nre split from
largo trcea, as tho sharp c1gcs are 3iablo to i'll
jnre the vines.
! TRAINING.
Ti,crn lB no book OIL tho training and manage
mont Of tho grape, Or at loast tho Concord
grnpo. that ii of value to tho farmer; for the
reason that all 10 oyerlone 30 far as ndapted te
his wants mud condition. When tho farmo,
plants his Concord grape-yineR, ho should ect
thom icot in tho row; and, It tllele DO more
thau ono row. hnve thu rows feet apart; thai
giyes about TOO vinoa to tho nero. Tho stakes
arc Bl,arpouotl and set In the snn,o mannor as
hop-poloa. by uBiug m iron cal!od II hop-pole-
softer. This irou makos suitable hole for the
stake, which ia Bet in by hand to tho depth Of a
foot, lowing tho stake live feet above ground
We now tnko tho caue Of tho previous years
growth, selecting III average ono, and if pos
siblo one That Inns no natural branches to it
for those arc liable to hayo from two to five oi
tho lowcr-buls mere leaf-buds, aud not fruit
buds. We now wind tho cane closely aroutlt
tho stake, being careful to have tho buds out
ward, which il mn easy matter, nB Tho cano il
quite oxiblo. Five or six turns abont tho stake
is securely fastened with basswood-bark or otho,
suitable lignturca that will hold tho vino aocuro
with itB loud Of foliage aud fruit. On the cant
titus wound tightly around The stake tl,cre vii
be from twelve to fifteen buds, md tl'oso bn'!
will produce from one to four clusters, genora!l
two to three each. AL beyond three should b.
pinehed OFF, othorwiao tloy will 10 too small
and, il the vines are young or not strong, the
may DO reduced to ono or two each.
| THE LABOR AND CARE.
Tho pruning may be dono III October, by cut
ting AWAY tho wood Tint haa frl1ited tho c,1rren
year, smloBh aB in son,o instances, spur-prunint
bocomos necessary from tile want of now canes
At Tho bottom. We allow hnlf-a-dozon or mort
cnncs to grow out near tho ground. md only on.
of these IL rctaino for tile 1,oxt aenaon all tls
others are cut Off but not close but that half
a-lozen or so Of buds aro loft near Tho grollnt
for now canes. This is a!l tho labor Of prunin;
for the cntiro year. In this climate the cano il
allowed to lilo on the ground, O.
partly 20; but farther north it is prob
able thut some covering may bo o
yaI1o. SO fur it is plain, for ti,oro is no ystor
in regard to It.. Wo hayo simply selected d goot
strong yow Of the current Seasons growth,-out
that ia without laterals, it possible and q
not too vigorous growth; in fact, We have lof
| largo number OF canes to grow, in orler tia
none OF them shnll become too yigorous, fo
thoso arc liablc to be delcient in fruit-butls
Tho next tinla that attention Is called to tht
vines il before tho buds begin to ewoll in thu
following spring, whom tho stnles nro Bot unt
| fta 1,rnn tfpf1 Bt film nni tim rine r3t hnG1