Connecticut western news., 1875-03-05
The Raising of Grapes.

At a recent meeting of the Cumber- land county (N. J.) farmers club, the subject of gfape-culture was thoroughly tion elicited. The conclusion was gen. eral that the culture of the grape was profitable, if the fruit were sold directly to the consumer by the producer. Simon l A. Beckhardt, one of the members, pro- fessed to 6 considerable knowledge ot grape-raising and wine making. Taking the yield of on acre of grapes at two tons, and the price at two cents pound, the yield would be eighty dollars per acre. The yield of Vineland has exceeded five tons, and the prices have largely exceed ed two cents 8 pound. The fear that the market would become glatted has proved groundless. Every producer, if he chooses, can make his own wine. Twenty barrels, of forty gallons each, is g fair yield to the acre. Cuttings started from the vines will bear in three years. Fifteen pounds of grapes will make one gallon of wine-grapes at five cents a pound will cost seventy-fve cents, and other expenses give the whole cost some what less than one dollar gallon. Mir. Beckhardt recommends that every farmer put few acres in grapes, which, added to grain and fruit culture, would yield him handsome revenue every year.
 Mir. Miller reported that in Vineland they raise from cuttings of three eyos, laid eighteen inches apart in furrows, and covered with the hoe. He prefers buying them already started, as a year is saved, and they are sold cheap.
 MT. Beckhardt stated that in Europe trench is dug knee deep, which is left open all winter. In the spring the cut tings are put in the bottom, covered lightly with soil, then manure is added so the cuttings are quite deep, and nearly all live.
 All the sections in New Jersey which have gone into grape raising are prosper ous. In setting grapes to stakes, three and half by four and half feet is the common distance; but the vine trellis Is considered the best. The rows should be six feet apart, vines eight feet apart in the row; trellis five feet high, with five wires, though the training should be only to the fourth wire. The old wood of yearlings should be set one inch below the surface. For posts, cut to two buds, and when started prune out the weakest; for trellis leave three or four buds, and prune out two branches. Immediately after the first frost is the best time to prune, after the fall of the leaf, when the pruning should be to four or five buds, if strong. The succeeding year they should be permitted to grow horizontally along the lowest wire, pinching out laterals till they meet on tho trellis. The next year the Iaterals should run up seven to nine inches apart to the fourth wire. The year after they will fruit. In the autumn the canes that have fruited should be cut out close to the horizontal stem, the alternate stem being permitted to bear the next year. The yield will readily reach from three to six tens an acre.
 Mir. Miller could hardly believe such yield possible, did he not know that MT. Fisher had raised nearly nine tons to the acre. He had one hundred and two Concords, five years old, which yielded 2,500 pounds at four years old, and he finds that the more they are trimmed the better they bear. He trims in February or March, and cuts to straight stem, training diagonally across the trellis.
 MT. Beckhardt declared that vine yard is a legacy to posterity; it is worth several hundred dollars per acre, being as profitable as cranberries, without the heavy first cost. Grapes on farm will pay when grain crops fail. Grapes should be put in rows north and south, and will succeed on soil so gravelly as to be apparently worthless. He mulches heavily with salt hay, and does not blow.