The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-01-06
III
OF THE
S~CUPPERNONG GRAPE.

L GRAPE
So many requests have come TO US a.
TO the best methods Of cuItIvatIng the
Scuppernong Grape. hat we give a
few of the more important details in a
circular letter. We wish to state. In the
beginning, that we are better posted
as to wine making than grape growing,
and did not suppose there were any
land owners in Eastern North Carolina
who did not know as much about grape
growing as we do. AS there Ices not
seem to be a full knowledge, however,
We give What we know~for what ii Is
worth.
The Scuppernong viii grow and pro-
ducc grapes on any of the sandy lands
South of Norfolk. Va, while certain
South Of Norfolk, Va. While certain
we mir We may safely say that any
and which grows cotton or corn nicely
will produce Scuppernong grapes. They
do not seem to bear we'll West of Middle
North Carolina. THE HOME OF THE
GRAPE IS IN THE EASTERN PART
OF THE STATE"
Cuttings may be secured in great
quantity by taking any Scupperncng
vine and letting it fall on the ground in
Tune n throwing a few s~nove.sfuli OF
dirt on il at from two to three feet from
the outer ends OF the limbs. These take
root quickly in the fresh earth, and Ear
be taken up ana cut off any time from
November list to March list, and set out.
are should be used in selecting thrift
ty vines with nice raDes as the vine
~reproduces the kind. Seeding wines
from the seed) are not worth planting,
as you do not know what kind of grapes
they will produce.
The lane should be laid OF nicely, in
rows Of twenty feet apart, the vines
being set out ten feet apart in the rows,
and planted true and square. A good
post standing out of the ground not less
than seven feet should be set to each
vine. These should be where practical
BILE, of cedar, oak, or lightwood, as the
setting OF new posts cuts the roots off
the vines. A good cutting will reach
almost to the top of the post when set
out. or grow to the top in n year., if
properly cared for The best method
is to wire the vines. When this is done,
rows of posts. well braced. have to be
set out around the edge OF the vine
yard, to which are attached the larger
wires. Down each row a No. 10 galVan-
lied wire is run as a governor wire.
and stapled to the top OF each post.
Across these governor wires. YOU stretch
at first. one No. Ia wire. II we'll hraced
at the ends, this gives all the posts
secure bracing. AS the vines grow and
spread out, you add on each side Of the
IA wire, other wires. always keep
ing good rbors for the vines to run on.
If you let the branches fall down and
have to support their own weight, they
do not grow SO rapidly. The vine should
not be allowed to bunch no ig knots.
but be kept spread out and growing
uniformly in all directions. It takes
about 10 vines to set an acre properly
laid off. These can be bought through
us at 5 cents eacn. il you can not get
them from & nearby vine.
The land should be cultivated with
crops that do not grow too high. and
the roots. which grow close to the too
of the ground. o not cultivate under
the branches, as the roots extend and
O1d" ouStClIdiISC ao 1li IL IA1S "a 81
un. Hence if you pillow close to the
vines you tear up the roots. The best
method we know Is to keep the roots. all
around the body Of he vine, and as
as the branches extend. muiched
with a heavy a of woOd-mould II
straw. The home Of the vim is in the
piney woods, where, in the rich virgin
soil. it spreads hundreds OF feet. The
best vines We 2 ever seem were in
old garden plots where they were never
ploWed, but the weeds kept down. A
good plan is, perhaps. to have sheep
craze under the vines; but the best plan
is to keep in cultivation the land not
shaded, and to keep the weeds down Oh
the rest by having a heavy mulciE-
While fertilizers may produce unusual
ly heavy crops, We advise using coarse
barn n in connection with heavy
Of WOods-mOuld and straw, SO
as to keep the soil light and productive.
While the vine will grow and produce
light sandy land that will hardly
grow COW e yet it should not be eX-
pected to get good crops from poor land.
The SOIL should be fertilized as directed
above. ArborS can be made of WOOD,
are frequently seen, on a small scale,
but the expense OF wooden arbors on a
scale is considerable. Galvanized
wire on good posts is the cheapest in
long run, and makes much less work
once the vineyard is well wired. 1t
means only a few posts each year, and
little wiring to take up the SAC
places, and the hauling in of coarse
manures. We do not believe in piowing
oIocn fo fho yi,,az IT breaks thu roofs
and inevitably damages the vines.
AS to gathering, the preferable plan
is to gather by hand, and in small vine
yards this can be done. We pay spe-
Clal prices for selected. hand-gathered
But in a large vineyard this
is rot practicable. Poles are attached
to strong sheets made of canvass. each
about ten feet square,. and with leather