The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1875-01-30
sCUPpERNONG GRAPES AND WINE.

SCUPPERNONG GRAPES AND WIN
Views of Colonel Martin, of Gadsden.
S1E-Agreeably to the request of Il
fruit growers association, I herewit
forward you my views on the cultivatio
of the Scuppernong and manufacture {
wine.
SOIL AND LOCATION.
I prefer a light sandy loan not to
rich-with clay subsoil. Our high pin
ridges, with good natural drainage.
as good as is required. A southern ez
posure or side hill is not necessary. M
| vineyards are on the highest point i
the state, being three hundred and fift
feet above the level of the sea and
find the grapes larger, ripen earlier, an,
make better wine than any have seel
elsewhere.
PLANTING AND CULTIvATING.
The land should be cleared of all tree
and the grass and trash burned off befor,
any vines are planted. I planted my
vines thirty-five feet apart each way
but am now satisfied that the better
way is to plant forty feet apart, and ther
plant another row between, breaking
joints-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 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 arbor 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 fol-
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,
we'll rotted oak leaves and oak ashes);
on top of this put a couple of inches of
rich surface soil; then plant the vine,
leaving the surface over it little lower
than the surrounding ground.
If a wooden arbor is to be used, the
posts need not be set up 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
hose put the rails or Stats.
As the vine grows add more posts
md extend the arbor. I use wire for
ny arbor, believing it to be better and
cheaper in the end-better because it
requires less posts, gives more room
n gathering the grapes, allows a much
better circulation of air through the
zines, does not collect 80 much dead
caves and trash, and the grapes more
Uniformly; cheaper, because when once
lone it is done for lifetime.
The first two years the object is to
yrow as much wood as possible, hence
he vines should be manfred generously
With well-rotted manure, forked in about
he roots and out from them foot or
wo. After this I do not consider it
necessary to manure it SO heavily, but
efficient to keep the vine in healthy,
rowing condition. Bone dust, oak
shes, or anything that will furnish pot
sh, is the best.
The ground between the vines can be
cultivated in other crops until it is
haded by the vines. could not, how
yer, recommend corn or oats, but sweet
cotton, strawberries, mulberry.
urnips, etc., always being careful not
o injure the roots of the vines. Thus
he ground is kept clean and sufficiently
nanured for the vines as they extend.
THE YIELD.
From the haat information I have re-
eived, and from my own experience, a
inc three years old that has been care
ully cultivated and MANFRED will yield
hree pecks of grapes. Vines planted
orty feet apart will cover the whole
round in ten years. An acre of vines
4 full bearing will yield between 600
nd 700 bushels of grapes. A bushel of |
ipe Scuppernong grapes will yield at
east three gallons of must or juice.
I have made at the rate of 2,OOO gal |
,ns of must or juice to the acre on vines
lilly grown, or, rather, vines twenty
ears old. I do not believe any one
nows when the Scuppernong is fully
rown. If it is properly manfred or
rbored, there is no knowing how far it
ill spread.
GATHERING THE GRAPES.
I think the better way is to put
.ame on a wagon body. On this frame
asten cloth with a hole say foot in
iameter in the centre of it; drive
nder the arbor, shake the vines with
orked stick, and let the grapes roll
trough the aperture in the cloth into
ae wagon body. When sufficient is
altered for load, drive to the press;
aNO q oAooC, soy oWO AoO" "ANO s>AAe~ |
xenty feet long /; place one end at or
n the gate of the wagon, and the other
| barrel on the ground throw in the
rapes at the top end, they will roll
own into the barrel the leaves and
ash will remain in the shute; brush
lem out and throw in more grapes.
In this way three hands and two
orse team can gather an immense
mount of grapes in day. Care should
8 taken to throw away the hard, green
i'd unripe grapes, and not to get too
eavy body of grapes in the wagon
one time, or they will get crushed,
nd thus lose a large amount of juice.
MAKING THE WINE.
As in making hare soup, it is neces-
Try to first catch the hare" SO in max
lg wine, it is necessary first to get your
rapes. Assuming that you have done
l. L L