The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1886-05-01
TIL HOME ACRE.
BY T.. 4. ROE.
III-THE GARDEN-CONCLUDED.

| From Hdypc1'S Monthly Magazine
| As have over hundred varieties in
bearing | may venture to express an opir-
ion also. l confess that l am very fond
of those old favorites of our fathers, the
Isabella and Catawba. They will not
ripen everywhere in our latitude, yet
seldom fail to secure good crop. Last
fall we voted the Isabella almost unsuI-
passed. If one has warm, well-draiued
soil, or can train a vine near the south
side of building, l should advise the
trial of this fine old grape. The LONE,
Brighton and Agawam also are great
favorites with me. We regard the Diane,
Wyoming Red, Perkins and Rogers n.y.
birds, Lindley, Wilder and Armenia as
among the best. The Rebecca, Duchess,
Lady Washington and Purity are fine
white grapes. have not yet tested the
Niagara. Years ago obtained of Mr..
James Ricketts,, the prize-taker for seed
ing grapes, two vines of small wine
grape called the Bacchus. To my taste
it is very pleasant after two or three
slight frosts.
Our list of valieties is long enough, and
one must be fastidious indeed who does
not find some to suit his taste. In MANY
localities the chief question is, what kinds
can | grow9 In our favored region on
the Hudson almost all the outdoor grapes
| will thrive, but as we go north the sea-
sons become too cool and short for some
kinds and proceeding south the summers
are two long and hot for others. The
salt air of the sea-coast is not conducive
to vine culture, and only the most vigor-
GUS, like the Concord and NIoore's Early
will resist the mildew blight. We must
therefore do the best we can, and that
will be very well indeed in most local
tiles.
Because our list of good grapes is al
ready so long, it does not follow that We
have reached the limit of development by
any means. When we remember that
almost within lifetime our fine vare-
ties have been developed from the wild
northern Fox grape { Wits MJrusca), the
Summer grape (rsticalis), Frost (corditt-
lta), we are led to think that perhaps we
have scarcely more than crossed the stile
which leads into the path of progress. If
L should live to keep up my little spec-
men vineyard ten years longer, perhaps
the greater part of the varieties now Gu
tivated will have given place to Others
The delicious Brighton requires no more
space than sour defective variety: while
the proprietor starts with the best kinds
he can obtain, he will find no restraint
beyond his own ignorance or carelessness
that will prevent his replacing the BrigE-
ton with variety twice as good when it
is developed. Thus vine planting and
grape tasting fstretch away into an allur-
ing and endless vista
When such exchanges are made, we do
not recommend the grating of new ia
vorite on an old vine. This is pretty
operation when one has the taste and le:-
sure for it, and new, high. priced varie-
ty can sometimes be obtained speedily
and cheaply in this way, Usually, how
ever, new kinds soon drop down within
the means of almost any purchaser, ard
there are advantages in having each va
Iiety growing upon its own root. Nature
yields to the skill of the careful gardener,
and permits the insertion of one distinct
nf ht,t 81,
the vine she does not favor this method
of propagation and change as in the case
of pears and apples, where the graft forms
close, tenacious union with the stock
in which it is placed. Mr. Fuller writes,
Son account of the peculiar structure of
the wood of the vine, lasting union is
seldom obtained when grated above
ground, and is far from being certain
even when grated below the surface by
the ordinary method" The vine is in
creased so readily by easy and natural
methods, to be explained hereafter, that
he who desires nothing more than to Sc
cure good supply of grapes for the table
can dismiss the subject. On the other
hand, those who wish to amuse them
selves by experimenting with nature can
find abundant enjoyment in not only
, grating old vines, but also in raising ne W
seedlings, among which he may obtain a
, prize which will "astonish the natives. -
Those, however, whose tastes carry them
to such lengths in vine culture will te
sure to purchase exhaustive treatises on
the subject, and therefore give no heed
to these simple practical papers 1t is
my aim to enable the business man re-
, turning from his city office, or the farmer
, engrossed with the care of many acres,
to learn in a few moments, from time TO
, time, just what he must do to supply his
family abundantly with fruits and vegt =
tables.
, If one is about to adopt grape culture
as calling. common-sense requires that
he should locate in some region particu-
: larly adapted to the vine. If the posses
! sor of large farm purposes to put sew.
$ eral acres in vineyard, he also should aim
: to select soil and exposure best suited
f to his purpose. Two thousand years ago
: Virgil wrote, "Nor let thy vineyard bend
! toward the sun when sitting" The ill.,
: ference is that the vines should face the
' east if possible, and from that day to
S this eastern and southern exposures have
f been found the best Yet climate modi-
: lies even this principle, In the South,
e would plant my vineyard on a north
0 western slope, Or on the north side of a
0 belt of woods, for the reason that the
1 long hot days there would cause too rapid
q an evaporation from the foliage of vines,
S and enfeeble if not kill them. In the
limited space of the home acre one can
use only such land as he has, and plan,
e where he must, but if the favorable ex.
. posures indicated exist, it would be vel
$ to make the most of them. | can men.
; ton, however, as encouragement to many
i that | saw, last fall, splendid grapes
t growing on perfectly level and sandy sJi
= in New Jersey.
I y low-lying, heavy, tenacious clay Is
undoubtedly the worst ground in which
to plant a vine, and yet by thorough
drainage liberal admixtuIe of sard and
light fertilizers, it can be made to FRO.
duce good grapes of some varieties; .