St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1879-07-12


sandy soil over clayey subsoii,
grows with great vigor and yields
splendid crops of beautiful fruit.
Iona and Israell:l are both new
grapes that give promise of excel
lence. The Iona is Il splendid table
grape, and matured its fruit well
on my place this season.
1T is important. when about
planting Il vineyard, TO decide
whether the object is table fruit or
WINE, and choose varieties suited to
the object in view, and to plant
enough to make it worth attending
to. For field culture for wine,
Concord, Clinton, Herbemont. Ives
Seeding. jacques Tor Black Span
ish) and Scuppernong will be safe
toplant in quantity; bu. it is alyisa-
bic to plant some OF such varieties
as Delaware, Iona, ISraella. some of
Rogers hvbrils, and others, in or
der to had ont which kinds suit the
Surroundings best; for l am salts
fed that the soil aud surroundings
have more to do with the vigorous
growth than mere skill. In an UNI
favorable situation failure is almost
certain, while, where the soil and
situation are favorable, there is u
good chance Of success. All of our
post oak lands will be found valua-
BILE for fruit growing; and where
there is red. clayey suhsoil near
the surface. the grape will flourish.
''Such rapid, strong growing kinds
as the Concord. Clinton, Herbe-
mont. Ives Seeding and Rogers
Hybrlds, onght to have plenty of
room-say eight feet hy e!ght-and
ought to be trained ON treliises ut
least seven feet high. Four or five
Stats or wires would suit. The
proper system Of pruning is one
that can not be given on paper
without drawings, and there is SO
much difference of opinion about
pruning that most growers follow
| their own ideas. In vineyard
there are few vines to which the
same rules will apply. The primer
must cut each as it requires. Book
rules may give the general prlncl-
pies, but the vine grow er lnust fol
low lis own Judgment in practice
/ In our long, hot seasons, the crap.
grows with vigor unknown Ill the
| North. We have no books tha,
will suit our case, and we Innsi
each do the best we can till We
know all about the habits of the
several varieties here The Longer
/ work among my vines, the less
am Inclined to dictate rules for thei,
management; but l will say that
the mystery thrown around grape
culture by some men is all humbug
Grapes will grow well and bear wei
if they are taken care of. Crap.
culture is not IL matter OF such arr
is some suppose. Give them thu
same careful culture you Go yonl
other crops, and you will soon SEE
that it pays, and pays We'll.
AS for wine-making, / do no
think there is any doubt about sell
ing all we can make At the Nortl
there is !. ready market for all tina
can be made; and here we must ex
eel, for our CHM tie Is SD much mor'
favorable, we can make superior
article When we grow enough
grapes, there will always be mel
found who can make good Wine
That is an art that can not be learn
ed from books 1t IS one that re
quires practice to excel in; and
can only say that when We lave tn
GRAPES, there will be men found wh'
can make wine, and good wine.
About the profits of grape cui
ture, let any one read the report
of Northern grape growers, or Hus
mans Grapes and Wine" "
can beat Them; I know We can. an
Wei acquainted with grape-grow
ing, both North and Ill Europe, q
we'll as here, and know We can d'
. as much, or more, in this branch o
huebandry, than anywhere this sid
of California.