The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1875-01-29
sCUPPERNONG GRAPES AND WINE.

: AOA"aEN you LlJ F1C"S Ol4 oAIO CulL4NdblO1
of the Scuppernong and manufacture O
wine.
SOIL AND LOCATION.
I prefer light sandy loan not too
rieh-with clay subsoil. Our high pine
ridges, with good natural drainage, il
as good as is required. A southern ex.
posure or side hill is not necessary. My
vineyards are on the highest point in
the state, being three hundred and fifty
feet above the level of the sea /; and ]
find the grapes larger, ripen earlier, and
make better wine than any I have seen
elsewhere.
PLANTING AND CULTH ATING.
The land should be cleare 1 of all trees
and the grass and trash buried off before
any vines are planted. 1 planted my
vines thirty-five feet apart each way,
but am now satisfied that the better
way is to plant forty feet apart, and then
plant another row between, breaking
ioints-that is, not in line with the
others, but half between. By this
means double the amount Of grapes are
had on the same ground. When the
vines begin to lock, this last row should
be cut out giving all the space to the
ones first planted.
Assuming that a wire arbor is to be
used, the posts should be set up before
the vines are planted, as in digging the
holes for them when the aFbor is being
put up the roots are liable to be in
ured. Having set the posts in their
places, about two feet in the ground and
seven above, the vines should be planted
on the south side OF the posts as fell
lows Dig hole about four feet square
and two feet deep, throwing the surface
soil on one side and the bottom soil on
the other and then fill up the hole
about one foot with good surface soil
on top of this put six inches of good
compost q used swamp muck, bones,
well rotted oak leaves and oak asbes);
on top of this put couple Of inches Of
rich surface soil ; then plant the vine,
leaving the surface over it a little lower
than the surrounding ground.
IF wooden arbor is to be used, the
posts need not be set mp until the vines
are ready to arbor, but a stake is set
close to the vine. so as to have sone-
thing TO train it to. When it is at
equal distances from the vines, and on
those put the rails or stats.
As the vine grows add more posts
and extend the arbor. I use wire for
my arbor, believing it to be better and
cheaper in the end-better because it
requires less posts, gives more room
in gathering the grapes, allows a much
better circulation of air through the
vines, does not collect so much dead
leaves and trash, and the grapes more
uniformly; cheaper, because when once
done it is done for a lifetime.
The first two years the object is to
grow as much wood as possible, hence
the vines should be manured generously
with well-rotted manure, forked III about
the roots and out from them foot or
two. After this I do not consider it
necessary to manure it SO heavily, but
sufficient to keep the vine in healthy,
growing condition. Bone dust, oak
ashes, or anything that will furnish pot |
ash, Is the best.
The ground between the vines can be
cultivated in other crops until it is
shaded by the vines. I could not, how
ever, recommend corn or oats, but sweet |
potatoes, cotton, Strawberries, mulberry.
turnips, etc, always being careful not
to iniure the roots OF the vines. Thus |
the ground is kept clean and sufficiently
manUred for the vines as they extend.
THE YIELD.
From the best information have re-
ceived, and from my own experience, 8
vine three years cid that has been care
fully cultivated and manured will yield
three pecks Of grapes. Vines planted
forty feet apart will cover the whole
ground in ten years. An acre of vines
in full bearing will yield between 600
and zoo bushels of grapes. A bushel Of
ripe ScUppernong grapes will yield at
least three gallons of must or juice.
[ have made at the rate of 1000 gal
Ions of must or juice to the acre on vines
fully grown, or, rather, vines twenty
years old. / do not believe any one
knows when the Scuppernong is fully
grown. If it is properly manured or
there is no knowing how far it
Will spread.
GATHERING THE GRAPES.
I think the better way is TO put a
frame on a wagon body. On this frame
fasten a cloth with hole sa7 foot in
diameter in the centre of it; drive
under the arbor, shake the vines with
forked stick, and let the grapes roll
through the aperture in the cloth into
the wagon body. When sufficient is
gathered for a load, drive to the press;
have a sbutC, say two feet wide and
twenty feet long; place one end at or
On the gate of the wagon, and the other
in a barrel on the ground throw in the
grapes at the top end, they will roll
down into the barrel the leaves and
rash will remain IN the shute; brush
hem out and throw in more grapes.
In this way three hands and two
horse team can gather an immense
amount OF grapes in a day. Care should
De taken to throw away the hard, green
md unripe grapes, and not to get too
leavy body of grapes in the wagon
It one time, or they viii get crushed,
md thus lose large amount Of juice.
MAKING THE WINE.
As "in making hare soup, it is neces- !
,ary to first catch the hare" so in MAX !
ng wine, it is necessary first to get your
Assuming that you have done ;
his, let us proceed to make the wine. ,
And here [ wish to mention that it is of .
he utmost Importance that every vessel
connected with the making of wine
,hould be perfectly clean and sweet.
There should be full supply of water,
% that the tubs, barrels, etc., can be