The Iola register., 1890-08-01
ERulI CULTURE.
How to Grow Luscious Grapes for Hor

4
How to Grow Luscious Grapes for Home
Use.
During the first season grow one strong
cane from the plant with no pinching OF
pruning whatever in the summer, except
to remove such extra sprouts as may start
| around the vine at the surface of the
ground and all fruit stems which may
form. When the seasons growth has
passed and the leaves have fallen
trim away the entire growth above the
second well-developed bud on the new
growth. which is usually about one foot
from the base where the cane started.
just before the ground freezes bend ii
in the direction which the vine natural
ly leans and cover entire with three or
four inches of earth for winter protec-
ton. A crop of beans may be grown the
first and second years without injury,
and sometimes, when cut worms are
thick, with positive benefit to the vines.
Corn or potatoes are better than weeds.
The first operation of the second year is
to remove the covering and lift the
vines, when all danger of spring frost is
past. Handle with care and tie to stakes
with bagging twine. The stakes may
be Of any cheap wood that will last two
years, and five to six feet high. Plow
at once with one horse three or four
inches deep as near the row as possible
to cut the surface roots, throwing the
earth away from the vines. Afterwards
cultivate clean.
This season allow two canes to grow.
one of which may be stopped at three
and the other at six feet from the base
by pinching the end bud. Check all
laterals in the same way after one leaf
has formed until August 1, then let
them alone until the wood has ripened
and the leaves have fallen. In Novem-
ber the fall pruning should be done by
cutting all laterals and shortening the
stronger cane to about four feet and the
reserve cane to two buds. Two or three
lunches Of fruit may be sipened this
year.
During the third season follow the
same directions as previously given for
taking up, tying to stakes, plowing,
clean cultivation and covering. In
pruning carry the leaders forward to
about double their previous length; re-
move all feeble or secondary sprouts as
soon as they start and pinch the later
ais freely, but never cut away the foli-
age or full grown leaves. Much injury
is often done in this way and it should
not be tolerated. Pinching the end bud
is the true way for summer pruning.
Yet no arbitrary rule can be given, for
no two vines and no two varieties are
alike in growth and needed require
ments. The good Judgment of the
grower, with some general suggestions,
will be the best guide from this time on.
One general rule should apply: When
the trellis is covered with vines the fall
trimming should leave nothing but
fruit buds, these well distributed along
the vines, and only in such quantities
as the age and vigor of the root will
bear. The form of trellis to be covered,
the ideal vine to be grown, the variety
of grape under cultivation, and its liza
bility to disease, all have an important
influence on the treatment required.
Always have an ideal vineyard in mind,
and keep the vines as perfect as pos
sible. This may be done by permitting
the strong and vigorous vines to ripen
a full crop of fruit, while the vigor Of
the weaker is increased by thinning to
a few perfect punches. Never permit
the vine to overbear; it will impair its
vitality, retard its growth and damage
the succeeding crop. The grower
should be prudent in limiting its pro-
ductive capacity. The formation of seed
is the most exhaustive function of plant
life, so few large. compact we'll
formed lunches, weighing ten to twenty
pounds, are much less injurious to the
vine than the same amount in small,
inferior fruit.-Archie n. Wilcox, in
Home and Farm.