The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1878-05-08
&rape Culture.

The following, brief, practical and
condensed rules for the management OF
grapes, were given by DIR. Whiting, at
the Farmers Institute, recently held at
Saginaw, Mich:
The soil best suited for the grape is
dec9mposi ~ shaIe, but any good clay
soil thoroughly drained will do.
The ground should be carefully pre-
pared, and only well rotted manure
used.
Decomposing turf is one Of the best
fertilizers; when it can be obtained, no
other will be required.
The vines selected for planting should
be good oue-year old layers or cuttings.
They may look small, but will make the
best vines.
Good culture is as necessary to the
vines as to corn or cabbage.
MuIching and watering the first year
should not be neglected if drouth is ex
than many sprinkIings. More water can
be saved with a hoe than can be put on
with sprinkler.
planting cut the vines back to two
buds whatever its strength or age
Summer pruning consists in plnching
off weak and struggling shoots in order
to c0nhne the sap to the main branches.
The first summer allow but one main
shoot to grow In the fall, after the
first frost, cut all the summer growth
back to within two buds Of the ground
The second year confine the sap to
two branches. and in the fall cut back to
three buds each.
The third year, if your vine has made
vigorous growth, a few stems Of grapes
may be allowed to mature; but better
take Of all the fruit than to suffer too
much to grow.
Too heavy bearing while young will
weaken the vine for all future time
The trimming now depends on what
kind Of trelEs you wish to cover.
After you have obtained a good, Wig
orous root, you can make it grow in al
most any place or shape you wish, by
keeping the branches desired tied up,
and all the others pinched back.
Each year few Of the strongest
branches should be allowed to grow as
bearers of fruit the following year
In trimming, cut away rs much OF the
old wood as possible and save the new,
as all the fruit buds are on the new
wood
You can easily tell how much to cut
away by holding your new wood up to |
the trelIis, and imagine a branch with |
three stems Of grapes for each bud.
If you do not cut off enough in the |
fail, and YOU find that the vine is going !
70 be too thick, don't fail to attend to
it when the new shoots are from three to |
six inches long, in the spring, or while |
in blossom. As soon as the fruit is set |
examine the vine, spread out the new |
wood so ateach bunch Of grapes will |
hang free and clear; pick off all the
small stems of fruit, and tasten the vines |
securely. so that the wind will not de- |
stroy your crop by breaking the young |
and tender branches.
When the wood has grown so that |
there are three leaves beyond the last |
bunch OF grapes, examine the vine, Sc
lect the branches you wish to save fer |
fruit bearing the coming year, and keep
them tied up until they have grown as
long as You wish To make use of, Ihe1
ends of the other bearing branches should |
be piuched off rs soon rs they reach this
point, three leaves beyond the last
stem Of grapes"
Break off all shoots and laterals rs
fast as they make their appearance, but
on no account injure the leaves on the
bearing canes.
The fruit will color but not ripen if
the leaves are destroyed.
Grapes for fall and winter use should |
be picked as soon rs ripe, and when
perfectly dry, packed in fine dry saw
dust. Select your box or jar, cover the
bottom with sawdust then layers of
grapes and sawdust alternately, until
full. Keep them in the coolest place you
can find free from frost, until wanted for
use.