The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1893-01-24
FERTILIZERS tsoR VINEYARDS.

The quality, as well as the quantity.
Of grapes Is largely due to the charac-
ter of the soil ON which they are
grown. They can also be greatly in
duenced by the application of special
msnures 10 the soil Nitrogen in any
form tends to the production of ram
pant growth Of long jO1nted soft wODd;
also to the prOlongaGiOn Of growth in
autumn, too late I'D have it fully rIpen.
Although grape growers well know that
this is not desirable, that excessive
wood growth Is not conducive to fruit
fulness many continue TO apply stable
manure In large quantities.
A moderate growth OF well ripened
wood Is far more certain to give an
abundant crop of fruit and of the
highest quality, than rampant growing
shoots do. There may be few slow
growing varieties, like the Delaware,
which on some soils would be benefited
by an application of stable manure, but
most soils have an abundance OF nitro.
gen tOr he growth of nearly all vaTie-
ties Of grapes, and under such cOndi.
tlcrs, the application of heterogeneous
m&nures Is absolutely injurious NJ st
vlne3 ards make too much, rather than
too little, growth This Is particularly
true of the vineyards of Florida and
other. Southern 6ta&es. The greatest
obstacle the Florida vinticulturist has
to contend with Is excessive wood
growth. To vlney ards in which the
Vg-C1C,Ct- grow TN TIV6 or nUTV
feet per cane, nltrogenous manure
should not be applet farther than
what would be In raw bonedust Even
this Is not So good as Feck phosphate.
f,a,.V
which the glue has been extracted.
From vine y ards which make an annual
growth of eight feet, or more, all nitro
genUus substances should be withheld.
In connection with phOsphates, un-
leached hardwood ashes may be used
to advantage when they can be b ught
at price thai the potash will not cost
over tive cents per pound. When ashes
cannot be 80 bought, then muriate Of
potash should be used, instead Sui
phaCe Of potash has been recommended
fts more desirable than muriate, but as
the potash costs considerably more IN
this form, and as | have never been
able to see any advantage either IN
quantity or quatlty Of fruit where it
had been used, | would not re 'Ommend
1t. In the application OF phosphate, or
potash, no one need fear any bad effect
from an overdose, nor will there be any
loss. Both substance s remain In the
soil until taken up by the vines, and both
tend 10 the growth Of strong, healthy,
short jointed wood, which will rlpen
early and thoroughly, and furnish the
best possible guarantee OF an abun liant
or of the best quality Of fruit the
succeeding year. Soils vary so much
that no one can tell with accuracy how
much, or what proportions of these,
should be used on any particular ylne-
yard. The safest way is to apply these
substances In varying proportion and
quantities, and carefully watch the re-
suits.
Looking over the charts and records
Of the vIney ards Of that veteran New
Jersey hOrticulturist, E Williams, I
was struck with the fact that the larg-
est crop came from rows to which had
been applied the largest quantities Of
bonedust and potash. Although these
had been applied severOl years before,
their effects were still very marked.
By using plenty of these fertilizers, and
by sowing oats and rye mixed at the
| time of the last cultivation, IN July, 20
be plowed under in spring, all the wood
growth desirable will be secured
Oats and rye. mixed in about equal
quantities, are better than either alone.
The oats make a quiz K growth. smOth-
ering out weeds and grass. The rye
remains green all winter and aUtains
considerable growth by the time OF
spring blowing. Both together catch
and hold many leaves containing no
small amount of fertility which would
otherwise be blown away. They also
make the finest KIND of carpet on which
to travel when gathering the grapes =
u S WoOdlcGrd an american AgrtcWt-
toGriSt.