Mexico weekly ledger., 1893-02-09
and Field.
BY JOHN ]. GILL.
GRAPES.

ahy a. ~
ness or money making. 1t furnishes
food and drink, both of which are
valuable, nutra.ive and attractive.
Its cultivation is constantly increas-
ing. 1t easily adapts itself to most
soils and situations but fiourishes
best on limestone lands. Its great
produetiveness and long keeping
qualities also add to its value. A
few years ago only two or three va
rieties were cultivated; at present
there are said to be over eighty
grown. Many of these are chance
seedlings of such hardy and reliable
sorts as the Concord, which is a ma
tive of Virginia and Maryland, and
was there originally known as the
fox grape. Our hope of obtaining
more desirable grapes than we have
still lies In recourse to seedlings as
every attempt to cross foreign with
native varieties has hitherto failed.
The grape is mainly propagated by
cuttings which may consist of two
or more buds of the previous sea-
sons growth made in the fall and
planted before freezing takes place.
Sometimes branches of the vine bent
down and covered with soil are used
for propagation. Much time can be
saved, however, by obtaining well
rooted vines three or more years old
from nurseries. The best soil for
grapes is a light sandy or gravelly
limestone that is not liable to be-
come very dry and if it slopes to
the south so mnch the better. Trim
both tops and roots of plants if
necessary-the former to two eyes
and the latter to from eight to ten
inches. Plant in eight feet squares
and dig holes large enough to re-
ceive the roots when out with their
crown about five inches below the
surface. Amy hoed crop that ma
lures early may be cultivated be-
tween their rows. The soil should
be kept rich by manuring. If that
is attended to in the fall the vines
will make strong and rapid growth.
There is some difference of opinion
as to the best method of training
and trimming grape vines. They
may be supported by two posts set
on each side of the vines and eigh-
teen inches from them. By that
method vineyards may be cultivat-
ed both ways by a plough. Another
mode of keeping vines off the ground
is by using trellises of either wood
or wire. They can be eheaply con-
structed and by means of them the
vines can have lateral as well as up
right extension. The main thing,
however, in training is to promote
the growth of a sufficient amount of
strong and well ripened wood to
mature large and perfect punches of
grapes. The best time for pruning
is during fall and winter. What is
called the spur system of pruning is
to remove all weak and decayed
branches and cut back those that are
left to two or three eyes. This style
OF pruning is much used in vine
yards where vines are supported by
stakes or posts. Where trellises are
used many advocate what is known
as the long renewal system of prun-
ing, which is done in the following
manner: During the first year the
vine is allowed in summer to grow
at random. This increases the size
of the roots. II in the fall the vine
is not strong enough to bear a few
branches of grapes it should be
pruned SO as to leave only two eyes
above the root. This will cause the
vine to make a vigorous growth dur
ing the following summer. When
the annual growth has reached a
fruit bearing size it should be cut
down in winter to lengths of from
five to six feet. These shoots will
bear fruit the following summer.
During summer they should be
pinched or cut off at the second or
third leaf from the punches. This
will enlarge the grapes on them.
One shoot, however, generally the
strongest, should be allowed to grow
until it has made about six feet OF
wood. A new cane should also be
allowed to grow up from the roots
which is to be treated similarly to
the main growth of the preceding
year. At the next winters pruning
all fruits bearing side shoots are re-
moved-not cut to a spur but close
to the old stem and the two leading
shoots shortened to from four to six
feet of bearing wood. The third
season there will be a crop of fruit
on the cane grown from the root the
preceding year. The summer prun-
ing will consist as before of pinching
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