Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1882-02-03
ny Peter y. Chase.

CULTURE.
ny Peter n. Chase.
I'm the original manuscript the following
treatise ON the grape aud grape culture is
prefaced with an alusion to the remote ORR
gin of the grape, its history dating back at
least to the time of Noah. The writer also
refers to the enormous size attained by grape
! vines in Italy and elsewhere, mention being
made of a statue of Jupiter formed from the
trunk of a single vine, of cathedral doors and
pillars and large tables formed from the wood
of the grape, and of the stairs ascending to
the roof of the temple of Diana made from
the trunk of single vine Mr.. Chase then
proceeds as follows
THE VINE IN AMERICA.
With us the vine does not seem to attain
30 great a size as it does in oriental countries
It has, however been observed of large pro-
portions. In the rich alluvial soil of the Ohio
valley several have been measured which
were three feet in circumference at the base
of the stem, with branches POO feet long en-
circlng and festooning the tops of huge pop
lars and sycamores. In Wisconsin there is a
grape vine set in 1859 which now measures
10 inches in circumference and has borne
l, l07 clusters Of grapes in one season. There
is vine in Stockton, Cal, which last year
produced 5000 pounds of grapes. Another in
Monticello is 10 inches in diameter covers an
arbor III feet long by Is wide and averages
three tons Of grapes. An account has recently
been published of a vine in California which
has trunk ten feet in circumference 1t is
stated to have had 1000 punches of grapes
upon it at one time, the estimated yield of
fruit being nine tons, the lunches averaging
over y lbs. each In New England it is
called an extra bunch that weighs more than
one pound, while the average of good vine
will not be more than ten or twelve ounces.
ENORMOUS SIZE OF THE FRUIT.
Travellers agree in relating that Palestine,
even at the present day, produces grapes that
weigh twelve pounds to the bunch. They tell
us that the clusters of Judea "a few miles west
of Jerusalem) are larger than any in Europe,
and that they have often seen clusters of
such size that it was impossible for a single
man to carry one of them uninjured for any
distance. Brocard informs us in his travels
that the best vines grow in the environs of
Bethlehem and Jerusalem. The grapes of
the Holy Land, with the exception of the
Sorek are mostly red or black hence the
juice is called the blood of the grape. The
Damascus grapes at the present time are
often found to weigh upwards of twenty-five
account of the present state of Asia Minor,
says that in the town of Sedonijah some of
the grapes are as large as pigeons eggs and
of exquisite taste.
GREAT AGE OF THE VINE
Ancient naturalists as well as modern trav-
elers, agree in their accounts of the long life
of the vine in its wild state Pliny gives an
account of a vine 600 years old. Miller says
of the vine in Italy, that in some parts of
that country vine is considered young at
100 years. and that there are vines in exist
ence which have been cultivated 300 years.
There is vine in North Carolina of enor-
nous size, claimed to be some 200 years old.
Vines in our northern states do not attain SO
great size or age on account of the long,
severe winters The soil of New England,
however, is better adapted to the culture of
the grape than the soil of our southern states.
The experience of 200 years has taught us
that European grapes cannot be grown with
success in America
SOIL BEST ADAPTED TO GRAPES
When we take into consideration the wide
extent of territory in which the grape is found
growing, either in its wild or cultivated state,
on both the eastern and western continents,
we may well question the oft-repeated asser-
ton that it does not succeed over the whole
extent of any country, but only in certain
full observer the climate of both the north
ern and southern states, as well as that por-
ton of the United States lying west of the
Rocky Mountains, is congenial to the vine,
as is abundantly proved by the numerous va
raties found growing wild over this vast re
gion of country. 1t is true that there are
particular varieties which are better suited TO
one section than another. Because u vine
does well in California or in Florida, we must
not Nal~a e.. ia Al i
Vermont situation protected from the
cold north winds, SO as to insure sufficient
heat to mature the fruit, is always desirable.
The vine requires Deep light soil and
warm exposure to produce fruit of a superior
quality In cold, moist, strong soils the
fruit is gross and watery aud later in matur-
ing. The vine hourshes in soils of volcanic
origin, in limy, and even in sandy soil. On
land half covered with rocks they never suf-
fer from drouth, and receive a double portion
of the rains and of heat from the reflected
rays of the sun. In poor soils the vines Lam
guish for the want of proper nourishment.
The loose stones of our fields might be gath
cred into piles and grapes planted around
them, and the heat caused by the reflection
would powerfully aid in maturing and giving
flavor to the fruit Nearly all the writer's on
grape culture recommend the declvities of
hills and mountains inclining to the south as
the best exposure for vineyard the next
in choice are the southeast and east, but
northern or fully western exposure is to be
avoided. Virgil said, Nor let thy vineyard
bend toward the sun when setting;" and these
words are as applicable at the present time as
they were 2000 years ago.
In selecting a situation for a vineyard, all
the surroundings should be closely observed
and taken into account. If the land has no
protection from the north and northwest
winds, see that you supply one, either by
walls, fence, or belt of evergreen trees
Never select place near a stream or small
pond unless it be elevated thirty or forty
feet at least for if near the level OF a small
body of water the situation will very likely
be subject to early and late frosts New
soils are to be preferred to those that have
long been in cultivation; for it is extremely
difficult to supply artifcially to worn.out
soils the lacking materials in a form so per-
fectly adapted to the wants of plants as that
which they originally possessed.
There Is scarcely farm in Vermont on
which the owner might not find suitable soil
aud place well adapted for a small vineyard
which would give him a liberal supply of
nice grapes for his own use. 1 am well salts
fed that can grow a ine-havored grape on
any peak of the Green Mountains, which
will ripen four years out of five for a life
time. A climate that will grow Indian corn,
pears and apples, will grow some kind of our
cultivated grapes.
PREPARING THE SOIL.
The manner of preparing the ground for a
| vineyard depends entirely upon the kind of
soil and its natural condition. We should al
| ways endeavor to make thorough work in
the preparation of the soil before planting
the vine, for it is not an ordinary crop that