The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1894-09-27
scunne-nonrs Can BE rruned.

II an emboldened by your former kindness
asking for some Information concerning
grapes. There is an abandoned vineyard near
here comprising several hundred ScuppernOng
and txo varieties Of bunch grapes naInes un-
known. These vines have in most instances
fallen from the decayed trelliSes and ie in
seaPs on the ground Z prey to goats ana satte
negroes in the neighborhood Now wish to
ask if, in your Judgment, these old vines, after
nuring be given renewed lifeg And could 1
cross or graft to advantage CIV s. Whining
answered by w. F. Massey, Horticulturist,
North Carolina Experiment Station-I
The notion still prevalent that the
scuppernong grape and all the rotundi-
folia class will not endure any pruning.
is an error. You can prune and get the
old scuppernong up on horizontal
trellis without much risk, but it will be
found that the branches have rooted
fast to the ground in all directions, and
it will probably pay better to select
strong young shoots with masses of
roots and detach them as independent
vines for planting, rather than bother
with the old stems In sucn a mass of
vines as you describe you can get
hundreds OF strong young plants.
Bones as Fertilizers and How to Utilize
Them.
ST am trying to make study of fertilizers
having lately engaged in fruit growing in vi
entity OF southern Zines a nave much OF It yet
am an, much pleased with the one you sent me on
fruits. would thank you to give me informa-
tion on the following points:
1. What is the actual value of bone meal as
fertilizer for fruits, especially grapes. 2. Do
you think 1t would pay to buy bones at $1,000
per ton and grind them in a hand bone mill? g.
bone to char it before grinding? 4 How would
old bleached bones compare with fresh ones in
and plant pieces near each vineg g. About
what would be the value tI tiinkage as fertili-
ger per ton? 4 Any info- nation you may give
me in this connection win be very gratefully
received. Is there any way of treating bones
with acids that would be better and cheaper
n. c. s '''e'' - ''-.n'''is s0'''
answered by H. B. Battle, Director, North
Carolina Experiment Station-l
Bone meal is very valuable fertili-
ger for grapes, as well as other fruits.
Grapes especially require it and can be
greatly improved by its application.
The phosphoric acid present is the ma
teria1 most utilized by the roots; there
is some heterogeneous material present
| also, especially in fresh bones. It would
pay to buy bones at S10 90 per ton and
| grind them in a hand mill If the mill is
| effective and grinding will not cost you
| too much. The charming of the bone
| iberates the heterogeneous material and
hence some of the value is lost The
/ same action results when bones are left
| to bleach in the sun. It would paw to
/ break the bones as fine as can be CON
veniently done to be planted near the
vines. 1t is not an uncommon thing to
| find roots of the grape vine entwining
themselves completely around a piece
/ of bone in the soil. The fertilizinr in
| gradients of tankage are per cent OF
ammonia, and II per cent. Of phospho-
xic acid, Of which about per cent. il
ordinary ferti Ulcers, this would equal