Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-06-18
NO. 143.
Misesllameous.
GRAPE CULTURE.

The following brief, practical and con-
densed rules for the management of
grapes were given by DIR. Whiting at the
Farmers institute, recently held at Sag
inaw, Michigan:
The soil best suited for the grape is de-
composing shale'- 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 fer
tilizers, when it can be obtained no other
will be required
The vines selected for planting should
be good one-year old layers or cuttings.
They may look small, but will make the
best vines.
Good culture is as necessary to the vine
| as to corn or cabbage.
Mulchng and watering the first year
| should not be neglected if drouth is ex-
| cessive. One good soaking is better than
| many sprnklings. More water can be
saved with hoe than can be put on with
| sprinkler.
In planting cut the vines back to two
buds, whatever its strength or age.
Summer pruning consists in pnching
off weak and Struggling shoots in order to
confine 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
within two buds of the ground.
The second year confne 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, few stems of grapes
may be allowed to mature, but better take
off 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
trellis you wish to cover.
After you have obtained good vigor-
| Gus root you can make it grow in almost
| 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 branch
es should be allowed to grow as bearers
| of fruit the following year.
In trimming cut away as 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 trellis and imagine branch with three
stems of grapes for each bud.
| If you do not cut off enough in the fall
and you find that the vine is going to 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 that each
bunch of grapes will hang free and clear:
pick off all the small stems of fruit and
iasten the vines securely, so that the wind
will not destroy your crop by breo king 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, select
the branches you wish to save for fruit
bearing the coming year, and keep them
tied up until they have grown as long as
you wish to make use OF. The ends of
the other bearing branches should be
| pinched off as they reach this point,
three leaves beyond the last stem of
grapes"
| Break off all shoots and latcrals as fast
as they make their appearance, but on no
account injure the leaves on the bearing
| canes.
The fruit will color but not rpen if the
leaves are destroyed.
| Grapes for fall and winter use should
he picked as soon as ripe, and when per-
fectly dry packed in tine, dry sawdust.
Select your box or jar, cover the bottom
with sawdust then layers of grapes and
sawdust alternately until full. Keep in
the coolest place you can find free from
| frost until wanted for use,