The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-02-27
Fertilizers for Vineyards.

Fertilizers for vineyards and orchards are
questions of Importance. Too much fertility
for fruit trees doubtless does much harm
often in the destruction Of the orchards, but
the vineyards will usually stand much more
to the advantage of the fruit grower. The
american AgriculturiSt says: The quality
as we'll as the quantity of grapes lie largely
due to the character Of the soil on which
they are grown. They can also be greatly
influenced by the application of special
manures to the soil. Nitrogen In any torn
tends to the production OF a rampant
growth Of long-jointed soft wood; also TO
the prolOnRation or growth in autumn, too
late to have it fully ripeU. Although grape
growers well know that this Is not desirable,
that excessive wood growth is not conducive
| TO fruitfulness, 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 the highest quality than
rampant growing shoots do. There may
be few slow growing varieties like the
Delaware, whicn, on some soils. would be
benefited by an application of stable
manure, but most soils have an abundance
of nitrogen for the growth of arly all
varieties OF grapes, and under such condi-
tions the application of heterogeneous manures
is absolutely injurious. Most vineyards
make too much, rather than too little
growth. This is particularly true of the
vineyards Of Florida and other southern
states. The greatest obstacle the Florida
viticulturist has to contend with is ex-
cessive wood growth. To vineyards
in which the annual wood growth is
five or more feet per cane, heterogeneous
manure should not be applied farther than
what would be IN raw bonedust. Even this
10 not 80 good as rock phosphate, or bone
dust made from bone from which the glue
has been extracted. From vineyards which
make an annual growth Of eight feet. or
more. all heterogeneous substances should be
withheld.
In connection with phosphatea, unleached
hardwood ashes may be used to advantage
when they can be bought at a price that the
potash will not cost over cents per pound.
When ashes cannot be 80 bought, then mu-
rate OF potash should be used instead.
Sulphate OF potash has been recommended
as more desirable than muriate, but as the
potash costs considerably more in this form,
and as l have never been able to see any
advantage, either in quantity or quality of
fruit, where 1t had been used Il would not rec
ommend it. In the application of phosphate,
or potash, no one need fear any bad effect
from an overdose, nor will there be any
loss. Both substances remain In the soil
until taken by the vines and both tend to
bue BTOWJu Vi bLTODR, u6dlJuy, buOrL-lOlnteQ
wood, which will ripen early and thor
ou2hly, and fur ri h the best possible
guarantee Of an abundant crop of the best
quality Of fruit the succeeding year. Soils
vary SO much that no one can tell with ac-
curacy how much, or what proportions OF
these. should be used on any particular
vineyard. The safest way is to apply these
substances in varying proportions and
quantiti es, and carefully watch the resultf.
Looking over the charts and records of he
vineyards Of that veteran New Jersey horti-
culturIst, Z Williams, l was struck with
the fact, that the largest crop came
from rows to which had been applied the
largest quantities of bonedust and potash.
Although these had been applied several
years before, their effects were still very
marked. by using plenty OF these fertil-
izers, and by sowing oats and rye mixed at
the time of the last cultivation, in July, to
be plowed under I'm 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
quick growth, smothering out weeds and
grass. The rye remains green all winter
and attains 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.