The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1903-10-21
MORE ABOUT VINEYARDS.
Practical Information for Those Interest.
ed In Grape Culture.
OBSERVATION OF GERMAN METHODS.
Henry Wolf Explains In Detail the Way the
Grape Is Propagated by Means
OF Cuttings.


yards and wine. In my last l ex
planned the selection of the loca
tion of the vineyard, nature of the
proper soil, terracing of hillsides
and preparation of the ground.
also showed how to have strong
rooted plants.
Now, there is another method
of propagating vineyard, and
that is by the use of cuttings.
Strong, one-year-old canes are
cut into such lengths, as to have
three joints in them. This ought
to be done just when the buds are
coming out in the spring, and
planted the same day if possible.
When the ground is ready, the
exact position for each plant or
cutting is carefully staked off,
AS rule they are five feet apart
each way. If the ground is very
poor, some fertilizer Is provided to
mix with the ground. The plant.
ing is done very carefully, the
roots of the plants are nicely
spread out in the holes prepared
for them, and pulverized soil sift.
ed through the fingers between
them, moving the plant up and
down gently, to get the soil COM
pact into every crevice between
the roots, and then all firmly
pressed down. If cuttings are to
be planted, the process is differ
ent. A stick about two inches
thick, and about two feet long,
pointed at one end is provided
This stick is driven into the
ground just on the spot where
the cutting is to be planted. 1t
Is then pulled out in such way
as to leave a hole about eighteen
inches deep. Now, the cutting is
inserted into this hole held so
that the upper joint is just above
the ground, so that 1t can form
branches, and the other two joints
IN the ground form roots. The
operator, holding the cutting
with his left hand, puts fine sand
into the hole around the cut.
ting with his right hand and
stamps it down firmly around
the cutting with a round stick
provided for that purpose. Thus
the planting is finished. Now
the ground is carefully cultivated
with a hoe. No weeds or grass
are ever permitted to grow. The
Young vines are carefully watch.
ed and all superfuous branches
are removed as fast as they ap-
pear. For two or three yeai s no
fruit is suffered to grow on the
young vines, for 1t would stunt
them to do so; but cultivation
and careful attention is given
them year in and year out
When the vines are considered
strong enough to bear fruit, some
canes are permitted to remain
for that purpose, and all the rest
are cut away. Stakes four and
one.half feet high are driven into
the ground beside the vines and
the canes are carefully tied to
them. When the blossoms of the
embryo fruit appear is the most
critical time in the whole season
to lose the entire crop; for in one
single night the frost may de-
stroy every prospect Of a vlnt-
age. To prevent such calamity
there seems TO be but one sue
cessful remedy known, and that
is the creation of artificial heat.
So, all brush, weeds, thorns and
the like are gathered and put in
to piles at certain distances, and
when frosty night comes, every
hand is there to fire these brush
heaps. Thus the heat and smoke
produced will raise the tempera-
ture sufficiently TO save the
crops. But the danger is gone
only for this night; tomorrow
night may be as threatening as
the past night so more brush
heaps must be provided--at any
cost--to save the vintage.
unnnx W<,r mn