National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-03-04
MPoRTAHTH HINTS on The SUBJECT
EXPERIMENTAL KNOWLEDGE.
SUCCESS IN DIFFERENT STATES.
QUALITIES BEST ADAPTED TO CLIMATE
Vines-When to Plant, Prune and
how TO CultiVate-PrO6ts
that May be Realized,
&C., &C.. &c.

The writer Of these articles has two motives
only for doing so; which are, to crafty friends
who requested him to DO it, and to do what he can
to encourage more general and extensive grow
ing ofgrspes IN this region; and to that end he
has collected and presents the most reliable in
formation on the subject which could be obtained,
both as to the manner and profits Of the business;
~ II Is believed that more free use Of grapes
among all the people will conduce to their general
health and prosperity, and to the wealth Of the
nation. r.- g.g
From this conviction there Is an Increasing in
terest springing up in the community, and greater
Importance Is attached to grape growing and wine
making within year or two than hitherto. 1t
will be q pleasant era to our people when good
grapes shall become so cheap and plentiful that
the humblest and poorest Of our people may have
them as common as apples and peaches, when
very much more fruit and less pork shall be eaten
by all Already greater quantities Of strawberries
and peaches are INDUCED in By the multitude
grapes will be aSplentiful and within the reach
Of all classes as any other traits, Any one who
cious pains, have a successful pear tree or grape
vine, and eat fruit therefron.
The general principles aud requirements for
planting and managing vineyards are much the
same everywhere; the same natural laws to be
observed to obtain permanent and large success
but specific modes and treatment must often vary
to suit particular localities and special situations
or circumstances.
But three great things or requisites are neees-
results, viz: l. A loose, deep, Well-drained, warm
soil, in which both clay and sand are mixed, with
q A high and dry location, as much out Of the
range Of fogs possible, in order to escape mil
dew on the fruit or foliage. On this important
| point, Prof VIM. Saunders says in the Agricul-
tural Report, that Tho distinguishing peculiar
ity Of good grape climate ia that Of the entire
absence Of mildeW on the foliage. This state
ment is made with knowledge Of the disastrous
effects Of rot in the berry, which is found occs-
IiOnAlIy in sections where leaf blight is seldom
and IN Ia TNrn IL raA
the greater evil Of the two; but If We sum up the
experience graPe.groUers throughout the coun-
ties are wholly dependent upon the absence or
| presence Of mildeW. The Delaware like the Ca
tawba, may be noticed as 9 variety not subject to
to be available over great an extent OF country
| as any kind In cultivation; has intrinsic merits
lection, but # is so liable to 1ldeW As to restrict
| its culture to few certain or rather uncertain
localities. 1t cannot be planted with the same
| freedom asthe Concord, Perkins, Ives and others
Of equal hardness in resisting mildeW. Even the
| foreign grape succeeds admirably II protected
| from mildeH, and only for this disease could be
| cultivated with as much certainty as the Con-
| cord"
8. To get the best quality of grapes, and retain
| tendency of exhaustion, they must be carefully
| and properly pruned and tsrtlliZed, and not al
lowed to bear TOO much fruit in one season, but
| should have some Of the clusters cut away, leaV-
ing not more than two to four on each arm or
vine; and then with scissors the imperfect berries
should be cut out Of the clusters that the balance
An easy and quick way Of preparing the ground
/ on which TO plant Ttneyard-Where It is not too
drained, and deeply, inely pl0wed; then With .
good tWo-horse pillow run two burrows, ten feet
| apart, turning them both out deeply as possible,
| and then pillow two other burrows in the same
| place, throwing both out so a. to make q furroW
or ditch twelve or fifteen inches deep; then run
eight feet apart and six or seven inches deep; I'LL
the deep burrows with good, rich compost or forest
nna ieat m me- n mnicn y some 0td asnss OF
either cuttings or rooted vines, as you may hap
pen to have; II cuttings put them In slsntWise,
to be lightly covered with straw, chat or leaves,
| to prevent too much evaporation and ~ partial
shelter; II roots make room for them, put them in
carefully, spreading out the roots in each direc-
ton, planting them four to six inches deep, and
press the soil GnugIy over and around them. In
in the report or the Agricultural Department
| says:
1.-THE best and most soil for the grapevine
s dry. porous Hmestenei the next best, deep,
loose, stony, loAmy soil, even sandy, n IL contain
some loan and mari, and II . good BubSol be
practicable. The soils upon rocks are favorable
cisftS the very essence Of iisGs ioSny su
containing phosphates. The less vegetable sub
stances q soIl contains the better It is fer the
Ssif.iSeit:red one, on the SoatSssst slope Of Il,
hill, Is the best; but level or rolling land may be
D to
winds. A vineyard, in ali cases, should be open
to the south and east, admit free circulation Of
| air, and not be under the influence Of miGsmas,
dampness, and stagnating waters or exposed 70
cold north winds. As there are many Instances
where soil Of the above description, In natu-
meliorated, II position and other circumstances
will justify such expense. Strong, heavy soils
require loosening, so that the atmosphere may
have free action upon them, and therefore must
'on stiff lands the tOpsoil should never
/ ha fufo ha a,nH 18th . he
raw subsoil, as the young plants have 70 depend
on 1t for their nourishment, till the subsolI has
chsnSeG d rs se1ore, inc action Of me atmos'
dition. If the resources Of forest are near,
where leaves, pine straw, rotten mast Of branches
&C, can be obtained, all these should be col
Iected, as the rough material to be thrown 10 the
bottom Of the trenches, and leaves, &C., mixed In
layers with the subsoil. The fertilzing capaci.
ties Of such substances are not Of much account,
but the advantage thus derived keeping the soil
loose, to admit light and the action Of the stmos
that purpose, as stones, haIErotten stumps, &c,
found on the land. and necessary to be cleared on
may be thrown in the bottom ofthe trenches"
At any convenient time, in the summer or
autumn, after planting, firm stakes should be
stuck for each vine; and when considerably crown
ihSIf b Sa up f the s6;
year trelis Of wire On poles, should be stretched
from stake to stake, three or four feet high; and
the next year another trellis should be stretched
along the stakes foot or two higher; the roots
will, by this time, have spread and become
strong enough, these one or two tiers Of canes or
arms, to be tied to the several trellises. In re-
gard to pruning and training the writer above
quoted says:
grape culture as development and prod uctiVe-
ness are directly affected by it. The proper
knowledge can only be required By practice and
vine is late in the fall, or when the weather per.
mits during winter, ~ then the plant is In q
dormant state The young rooted vines, or layers
eyes by trsnsplanting, EilllhaEs made two shoots
during their summers growth; these are pruned
on stakes, one to sI eyes the short end, called
the spur, 10 furnish bearing wood the next year,
and the long end, or bow, to bear fruit. On cut
tinRs the single shoot which they produce the
mrs: season is pruned back to two eyes, and so all
| young and tender-roOted vines. During the en-
suing summer nothing more is to be done than
and keep the weeds down by blowing or hoeing.
1.-THE second year, on the strongest Vines-noH
four years old-both ends are lengthened by six
eyes from the young wood, and the rest cut OF;
from the side shoots all new wood Is removed, ex-
cept one spur of two eyes on each shank, for max
sbsnEs are lied hOri.optSIly On TIE rst wire or
lath OF the trellis. The shoots from the lowest
buds on the spurs, AFTER they have made two feet
growth are pinched In two and the other shoot is
allowed to RrcW; all the young shoots must be
tied up several times through the season. The
third year the longest canes from the spurs are
the trellis and cut according to the length re-
Quired to permit them TO be tied on one foot long,
| y.
part Of these Is broken out the rest LETT for
fruit spurs; and the short shoots on the spur are
pIuned back TO two eyes, TO bear After this the
vine must be kept IN such trim as 70 produce
alternate fruit and bearing wood. Those canes
which had fruit are pruned back TO one eye u
make bearing wood for the next year"
1t should be borne in mind that the ground BE-.
tween the rows should be cultivated and kept
clean Of weeds and should be ploWed each yeai
to keep the soil loose and frable so that the ali
can circulate freely through It. When the vinei
are troubled with insects or seem to be unhealthy
or are attacked with mildew, sulphur or plastel
should be sprinkled on them. In nothing viii
care and skill pay better than in its application
TO grape growing.
Mr.. Saunders says: 1.-THE question: frequently
asked, AT what age should vine be allowed x
bearf The only answer that can be given
simply when 1t Is strong enough; and 1t should b.
| cut down closely at the annual winter pruning
until 1t sends up cane Of sufficient strength Z
bear fruit, which It will do, in ordinary culture
the second summer from planting. OF the La
brusca or Fox species, the most exempt from mil
dew are the Concord, Hartford Prolific, Ives
Seeding, Dracut Amber and Northern Musca
dine. All Of the Cordifolias species are emfnentl
hardy; mildew or rot rarely attacks them. The
Clinton is q familiar example Of this class. and
the most reliable wine grapes will ultimately BE-
produced from improved varieties Of this section
| The following Is the average order OF rtpening q
some Of the earliest varieties: Adirondac, Hart
ford Prolific, Rogers Hybrid No. 3, Draeut Am
| ber Delaware Concord. Logan, Creveling, Ives