The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-02-07
THE
OF THE
S~CUPPERNONG A

49, -
to the best methods OF cultivating the
Ecuppernong Grape, that We give a
few of the more important details in a
circular letter. We wish to state, in the
beginning, hat we are better posted
IS to wine making han rap growing.
and did not suppose there were any
and owners in Eastern North Carolina
who did not know as much about grape
growing as we do. As there does not
seem to be a full knowledge, however.
we give what we know for VIVA II Is
worth.
The Scuppernong will grow and pro-
duce grapes on any OF the sandy n
Couth Of Norfolk. Va, While certain
We hin we may safely say that any
land which grows cotton or corn nicely
will produce Scuppernong grapes. They
do not seem to bear well West Of Middle
North Carolina. THE HOME OF THE
GRAPE IS IN THE EASTERN PART
OF THE STATE"
Cuttings nay be secured in great
quantity by taking any Scuppernong
vine and letting it fall on the ground IN
June and throwing a few shovelsfull OF
dirt on it al from two to three feet from
the outer ends of the limbs. These take
root quickly in the fresh earth, and can
be taken up and cut off any time from
November 1st to March 1st, and set out.
Care should be used in selecting thrill
ty vines with nice grapes, as ne VINE
reproduces the kind. Seeding (Vlnes
from the seed) are not worth planting
as you do not know what kind Of grapes
they will produce.
The land should be laid off nicely, in
rows OF twenty feet apart, the vines
being set out ten feet apart in the rows,
and planted out of the ground not less
than seven feet should be set to each
vine. These should be where practlca-
bile. of cedar. oak, or Iightwood, as the
setting OF new posts cuts the roots on
the vines. A good cutting will reach
almost to the top of the post when set
out. or grow to the top in one year, IL
nronerly cared for. The best method
is to wire the vines. When this lone,
rows of posts, we'll braced, have to be
set out around the edge of the vine
ward. to which are attached the larger
wires Down each row a No. 10 galvan-
tied wire is run as a governor wire,
! and STABBED to the top of each post.
Across these governor wires you stretch
1t first. one No. II wire. II we'll braceo
at the ends, this gives all the posts
secure bracing. AS the vines grow and
spread out, you add n each side OF the
No. IA wire, other wires, always keep
ing good arbors for the vines to run on.
If YOU let the branches fall down anu
have to support their own weight, they
do not grow SO rapidly. The vine shouio
not be allowed to bunch up in KNOTS
but be kept spread out and growing
uniformly in all directions. 1t taxes
about lie vines to set an acre properly
laid off. These can be bought through
us at S cents each. II you cannot ge'
! them from a nearby vine.
The lane should be cultivated with
crops that do not grow too high, ano
the vines kept free from trash aroune
the roots, which grow close to the tor
of the ground, do not cultivate under
the branches, as the roots extend anc
draw as far as the brancne
run. Hence il you pillow close to the
vines YOU tear up the roots. The bes'
method we know is to keep the roots al
around the body Of the vine, n as
far as the branches extend, mulcheo
with a heavy coat of ood-mould anc
straw. The home of the vines is In tnt
ptny woods, where, in the rich virgin
sell, is spreads hundreds of feet. The
hest vines we have yer seen were II
old garden plots where they were never
Moved. but the weeds kept down.. !
good plan is, perhaps to have sheeI
craze under the vines; but the best pla1
is to keep in cultivation the land no
shaded, and to keep the weeds doWn OF
the rest by having a heavy mulcn
While fertilizers may produce unusuai
ly heavy crops, we advise using coars'
harm manure in connection with heaV!
coatings of ~wood-mOuld and straw, 81
as to keep the soil light and productive
While the vine will grow and produce
on ueht sandy land that will hardl.
grow cow peas, yet it should not be ex
pectea to get good crops from poor land
The sell should be fertiliZed as directe'
above. Arbors can be made of wooo
az are frequently seen, on a small scale
but the enpenses of wooden arbors on
large scale is considerable. GALVANIZED
wire on rood posts is the cheapest IL
the long run, and makes much less woTl
once the vineyard is well wired. l
means only a few posts Zach year, an
a little wiring to take up the slac,
places. and the hauling in OF coars
manures. We do not believe in plowin.
!, close to the vines. It breaks the root
. and inevitably damages the vines.
AS to gathering, the preferable pla'
is to gather by hand, and in small vine
, yards this can be done. We pay spe
{ cial prices for selected, hand-gathere
grapes. But in a large vineyard tnl
r is not practicable. Poles are attacne
to strong sheets made of canvass, eac
/ about ten feet square, and with leathe
Y handles and a man to each side or tn
: sheet, it is easily carried around be
s tween the posts, which are set in eve
e rows. Another man or boy, with
4 forked stick, shakes the vine CENT?
iust above the sheet, n the TIP
rraDaS fall and are caught Childre