Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1889-06-27
IN THE VINEYARD.
A Viticulturist Calls Attention to an APP
proved Mode of Planting,

A Viticulturist Calls Attention to an Ap-
proved Mode of Planting,
The common system of planting
adopted in California is that of squares,
with the vines placed at seven feet apart.
Some sections adopt greater distance,
eight feet prevailing In many interior
districts-some vineyards even exceed
ing this, running up to ten or even twelve
feet. These greater distances have been
chosen for several reasons. 1t greatly
facilitates the blowing and working OF
the vines, gives less number to plant,
prune and care for, and where ralsln ana
table grapes are desired the size and
beauty of the berry is considerably I'M
proved.
European countries devoted to WINE
making crowd the vines close together,
two and half t. three feet from each
other in the rows, and the rows three to
four feet apart. Close planting is par
ticularly practiced in the renowned Vine
wards, where it is thought the small
quantity of grapes thereby produced on
| each plant adds to the quality OF the
wine.
Charles Krug, commissioner for the
| Napa district, in treatise incorporated
in the annual report of the California
| board of viticulture commissioners,
| calls attention to the advantage of plant
|
system" heretofore employed. His ex-
perience since 1881 with the new method
has been such that lie enumerates some
| of it's advantages as follows:
1. Fifty per cent. of the blowing now
done with one horse will be performed
with two animals and large pillow, thus
securing deeper and more perfect tillage.
The larger tools accomplish the work
more rapidly, and three or four horse
tools may be easily and safely worked IN
the rows, each one forming complete
avenue.
2. The gathering of the brush will con-
sumo only one-third of the time and labor
that is commonly employed in carrying
it to avenues some distance apart. Here
the prunings may be thrown into piles
at convenient distances along the IA
feet rows and burned without danger
to the vines and each pile will thus re-
turn to it's respective vines a fair portion
of the fertilizers produced in its ashes
g. Sulphuring may be done more
quickly and economically in the IA foot
: rows, as q cart or wagon may be used to
haul the barrel of sulphur to the labor
ers-this throughout the whole vineyard
and the driver may even assist in the
work without leaving his vehicle.
L. Spraying the vines-a lr">tlce
t. which is likely to come into vogue . II
r VINEYARDS some day, as it has in Luz
pean ineyards-would be greatly faciii-
tated, in that the whole appliance may
> be hauled and worked by horse power.
At present the prevailing custom is fol
each operator to carry the solution IN
reservoir strapped on his back. :,
- 5. The empty grape boxes can be
= easily and directly distributed to the
pickers, and the boxes, when full. may
g be placed directly upon the wagon, to b'
d hauled to the cellar. Much time ant
re labor are at present wasted in forcing Thu
IL pickers to carry the heavily loaded boIe
,e some distance to the avenues, perhap
70 from the middle Of the block.
g. When cultivating has ceased-usu
ally in Junc--for two months, the teams
which are otherwise likely to be idle
may be protitably used to improve tn
ia land by hauling manure to the vines, I'LL
of ing up low places with dirt or sand, O
ne carrying off roots.
This method also recommends itsel
for changing old vineyards from TX
feet to 33x14 feet, or from sx0 feet t.
=. 4x16 feet, giving the proprietor fin
ISL opportunity to transform his vinegar
e. from a Vinifera root vineyard to re
ue sistant root vineyard. This can be az
nd complished by planting resistant vine
ad in the alternate rows to be preserve
ma right between the two old vines. A
soon as these resistant roots produe
ol four-feet-long cones the adjoining OIL
IN Vinifera vines in the same rows, whe
attacked by phylloxera or otherwis
BIS may be taken out and the cones frol
nd the resistant vines laid underground
ST the place where the old Vinifera vint
is. stood; while layers, with the support {
an the nourishment from the mother root
h will make rapid growth and be soc
80 strong enough to be grated. In tt
Co meantime the second row should
taken out as soon as the resistant vim
en- and layers are producing crop. The
nd will continue to bear their usual amour
OF grapes, and the income from the vim
Ike yard is only lessened slightly during tt
in transformation.