The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-01-10
THE
OF II
S~CUPPERNONG A

10 the pest methods of cultivating the
Scuppernong Grape, that we give q
few OF the more important details in a
circular letter. We wish to state. in the
that We are better posted
as to wine making than grape growing,
n did not suppose there were any
land owners in Eastern North Carolina
VINO 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 what it is
worth.
The Scuppernong will grow and pro-
duce grapes on any of the sandy lands
South Of Norfolk. Va, while certain
South of Norfolk, Va, While certain
we think we may safely say that any
land which grows cotton or corn nicely
Will produce Scuppernong rapes. They
do moi seem to bear we'll West of Middle
North Carolina. "THE HOME OF THE
GRAPE rs IN THE EASTERN PART
OF THE STATE"
Cuttings may be secured in great
quantity by taking any Scuppernong
vine and letting it fall on the ground in
Tune and throwing a few ~shovelsfull of
dirt on it at 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 thrift
ty vines with nice grapes, as the vine
r~eproduces the kind. Seeding wines
from the seed) are not worth planting,
as you do not know what kind of grapes
they will produce.
The and should be laid off 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 hou 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 one year, if
properly cared for. The best method
as 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, n No. IA wire. If we'll braced
at the ends, this gives all the posts
secure bracing. AS the vines grow and
spread out, you d on each sid of the
No. IA wire, other wires, always keep
ing good arborS for the vines to run on.
If you let the n fall down and
have to support their own weight, they
do not grow so rapidly. The vine should
not be allowed to bunch no in knots.
but be kept spread out and growing
uniformly in all directions. 1t takes
about ITO vines to set an acre properly
laid off. These "a be bought through
us at 5 cents each, if you can not get
them from a nearby vine.
The land should be with
crops that do not grow too high. and
the vines kept free from trash around
the roots. which grow close to the too
of the ground. o not cultivate under
the branches, as the roots extend and
draw sustenance as far as the branches
run. 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 the vine, and as
far as the branches extend, mulched
with a heavy coat Of wOod-mould and
straw. The home of the vine is in the
r;ney woods, where, in the rich virgin
soil, it spreads hundreds of feet. The
best vines we have eve seen were in
old garden plots where they were never
pl0wed. 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 on
the rest by having a heavy mulch.
While fertilizers may produce unusual
ly heavy crops, we advise using coarse
barn manure in connection with heavy
c%Oatings of woods-mould and straw, so
as to keep the soil light INT productive.
While the vine will grow and produce
on light sandy land hat will hardly
grow cow peas, yet it should not be ex-
pected to get good crops from poor land.
The soil should be fortified as directed
above. ArborS can be made of wood,
as are frequently seen, en- a small scale,
but the expense of wooden arbors on a
large scale is considerable. Galvanized
wire on good posts is the cheapest in
the long run, and makes much less work
once the vineyard is we'll wired. It
means only a few posts each year, and
a little wiring to take up the slack
places, and the hauling in of coarse
We do not believe in blowing
close to the vines. 1t breaks the roots
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 a spe-
cial prices for selected. hand-gathered
grape But in a large vineyard this
is not practicable. Poles are attached
to strong sheets made of canvass. each
about ten feet square, and with leather
handles and a m IA to each side OF the
sheet, it is easily carried aroun be-
tween the posts, which are set in even
rows. Another man or boy, with a
forked stick, shakes the vine gently
inst above the sheet. and the ripe