The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1879-09-12
FARM TOPICS.


shall ever plant another vine, without
some kind of a trellis, unless it is to ex-
pertinent. The fruits on trellised vines
attain large size, are juicy and do not
taste of the ground. While the fruit of
the vines that were left to run on the
ground, were rOtting, those trained to a
trellis were sound and growing rapidly.
The trellis l use is the same as the one
described and engraved in the Rural
last spring. 1t takes but little work to
make one. Any farmer can make all he
wants in the barn some day when it
rains. The fruit will ripen more evenly
and ten days earlier-which is quite an
advantage. Moreover the arrangement
gives the garden more tasty appear
ance and it is much easier to keep the
trellised ground free from weeds.-C0r.
Rural NeU Yorker.
DISTANCES FOR GRAPES.-The
trong-grOwing American grapevine
must have ample space to grow. They
may be restricted for n few years and
bear moderate crops, but when they are
older they should have full chance to
throw out their long arms. The late
VIM. A. Underhill of Croton Point, N.
Y, showed us part of his 2O-year Isa-
bella vineyard where he had allowed
the vines to extend over Il roadway, Civ
ing them some 16 feet more room. The
improvement in the crop was striking.
Mr.. A. Hood of Ontario planted Com
cords six feet apart each way. They
bore little fruit. The spring of the
seventh year, he took out every alter
nate vine, and then had fine crop. He
tried Il similar experiment on large
Catawba vineyard planted eight feet
apart; the result was a great increased
quantity of grapes. He also stated that
Concord vines covered "a to 4S feet
trellis, carried by actual measurement
more graves than any adjoining vines
II feet apart, and occupying the same
extent of trellis. An experienced grape
grower has just stated to us that he had
planted his vines II feet apart, and had
grated every alternate vine with anoth-
er sort. The gratis failed to grow, and
the old vines, being thus thinned to one
half in number, gave a much better crop
than the whole did before. We might
cite many other cases-all showing the
Importance of giving ample space to
And one other precau-
ton should always be Observed-never
to allow the vines to Overbear; thin out
the numerous punches. We do not now
hear vineyardists, as formerly, boast of
the many tons Of grapes they have raised
to the acre, as they have learned
that the fruit is better, and the vines less
exhausted, when the thinning has been
properly done.-COuntry Gentleman.
How TO PRESERVE CIDER.-A pure,
sweet cider is only obtainable from clean,
sound fruit, and the fruit should there
fore be carefully examined and wiped
before grinding. In the press, use hair
cloth or gunny in place of straw. AS
the cider runs from the press let it pass
through hair sieve into a large open YES
sci that will hold as much juice rs can
be expressed in one day. In one day,
or sometimes less, the pOmace will rise
to the top, and in short time grow
very thick. When little white bubbles
break through it, draw off the liquid
a very small spigOt placed about
three inches from the bottom, SO that
the lees may be left behind. The cider
must be drawn off into very clean, sweet
casks, preferably fresh liquor casks, and
closely watched. The moment the
white bubbles, before mentioned, are
perceived rising mt the bunghOle, rack it
again. 1t is usually necessary to repeat
this three times. Then fill up the cask
with cider in every respect like that
originally contained in it, add tumbler
of warm sweet oil, and bung up tight.
For very fine cider it is customary to
add at this stage of the process about
half a pound of glucose Starch sugar),
or Il smaller portion of white sugar.
The cask should then be allowed to re-
main in cool place until the cider has
acquired the desired flavor. In the
meantime clean barrels for its reception
should be prepared, as follows: Some
clean strips of rags are dipped in melted
sulphur, lighted and burned in the bung-
hole, and the bung laid loosely on the
end of the rag so as to retain the sulphur
vapOr within the barrel. Then tie up
half a pound Of mustard seed in a
coarse muslin bag, and put it
in the barrel, fill the barrel with
clucr, anu iuu dDOut quarter
of pound of isinglass or fine gelatine
dissolved in hot water. This is the old
fashioned way, and will keep cider in
the same condition rs when it went in
to the barrel, if kept in cool place, for
a year. Professional cider-makers are
now using calcium sulphite (sulphite of
lime), instead of mustard and sulphur
vapor. 1t is much more convent
ent and effectual. To use it, it is simply
requisite to add one-eighth to One-quar-
ter of an ounce of the sulphitc to each
gallon of cider in the cask, first mixing
the powder i'm about a quart of the cider,
then pouring it back into the cask and
giving the latter a thorough shaking or
rolling. After standing bunged several
days to allow the sulphite to exert its full
action it may be bottled off. The sui
phite of lime (Which should not he mis-
taken for the s,lphate of lime) is COM
mercial article, costing about 40 cents a
pound by the barrel. 1t will preserve
the sweetness of the cider perfectly, but
unless care is taken not to add too much
of it, it will impart slight sulphurOus
taste to the cider. The bottles and
cOrks used should be perfectly clean,
,,,d Tho oo,.l,c x,,;,oJ down A LITTLE DIN.