Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-09-05
Grape Vines.


Grape Vines.
In answer to q correspondent who
inquiries about grape 'rellises, we would
say that it does not make any serious
| difference as to which side OF the trellis
the vine is. 1t is true that it is better,
perhaps, TO place the vine on the east
or west of the trellis. AS to the con-
struction of the trellis that is not ditfi
cult. Almost every one must have seen
Il %trellis. 1t may be composed of simp-
ly posts and stats. Or it may be made
Of posts and wire. Select the posts
from oak, or some other durable TIM
Der, and have them large enough to
provide sufficient strength. Set the
posts eighteen feet apart in the rows,
and have them run north and south, SO
as to give a more uniform exposure OF
the grapes to the sun, as we have be-
fore %intimated. The posts ought to be
about four or five feet above the
ground. Now stretch your wires along
a staple, driven IL firmly enough to
prevent the wires from slipping
through, as, if they do that, they will
sag in some places while being taut
in others, making the strain uneven, 1t
will be necessary, as will naturally oc-
cur to the reader, to have the end posts
somewhat larger than the others, and
to so brace them that the strain from
the wires. either from contraction or the
weight of the vines, will not loosen
them. We should place the wires about
fourteen inches apaft, the lower
being placed ut that distance from the
ground. This will bring the top wire
about four feet eight inches from the
ground. Some only use three wires,
but four gives a better chance TO tie up
the vines, and will pay for the extra
trouble and expense. Now if there is
more than one trellis the question will
arise, elbow far apart should they be?"
Opinions will vary in regard to that,
but we believe that they should not be
nearer together than eight feet, and il
they are further apart than that, we do
not think any damage will be done, to
say the least.
Now if the vines are six feet apart
there will be three bctween each two of
the posts, and that is about right. If
the trellis is not put up as soon as the
vines are planted, they can be left to
trail upon the ground the first season,
and no great harm will be. done. Vines
left thus for the first season will do very
nearly as well as il on the trellis. Ii
! the tlellis IS there, however, they should
be tied up the first season; but as the
trellis is to be constructed, we advise
setting it up at once. w may say here
that during the first year we should
neither prune nor pinch. We do not
believe it does any good. At the end
of the first season-in the Fall-we
would cut down to two strong buds,
and during the second year these two
buds will each produce a cane. Once
or twice during the second season
we would pinch back the stronger
l~aterals, 80 IS to cause the
two main canes and their buds
to develop a fully as possible. But
guard against all severe pruning and
pinching; very many pinch a grape
vine to death. The vine does not
thrive in consequence of ther treat
ment, but in spite OF it. If during the
second season a heroic system of prun-
ing is adopted, in all probability the
buds which were designed for next sea-
son, will be driven into premature
growth this season. AT the end of the
second season cut back the two canes
to three buds, and this will leave six
buds which the third year will produce
six canes, and these will probably bear
fruit, but care must be taken not to
permit them to overbear. and hence the
fruit had better be thinned to about ten
punches to the vine. This third season
it will be in order to pinch back to the
! ~laterals somewhat more closely than
was done the second season, and when
the vines have got a little above the
trellis stop them.
Now, after pruning by cutting three of
the canes down to two buds, and Short
ening the other three canes to about
three feet, we come into the fourth
years management. The three canes
that were LETT will produce branches,
and each OF these will bear fruit, and
we would advise that these branches be
stopped at the second leaf beyond the
last bunch Of fruit. Each of the buds
left at the last pruning will produce a
zane which will bear fruit during the
following or fifth year. One matter
needs attention. DO not permit any
thing to allow too heavy f%ruiting.
Nothing is gained by it. The lesson Of
thinning fruit has been learned long
ago by our most experienced fruit
growers. Judicious thinning not only
produces a better quality of fruit; but
it produces likewise Il greater amount.
No rules can be laid down or thinning,
as it must depend upon circumstances,
the strength and vigor Of the vine and
the variety of the grape, for instance.
In the fall of the fourth year the three
canes that have borne fruit may be cut
entirel: away, and the three canes
which are to fruit next year cut back to
about three feet Western Rurak.
I'm Waterbury. Conn. a farmer