The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-03-10
THE
OF THE
S~CUPPERNONG GRAPE.

&c the best methods of ~cuItlvatinx the
Scuppernong Grape. that we give a
ie. 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 aeout grape
growing as we do. AS there does not
seem TO be a full knowledge, however.
We give what We know for what IL Is
worth.
The Scuppernong will grow and pro-
duce grapes on any of the sandy lands
Couth OF Norfolk. Va. While certain
We think We may safely say that any
land which grows cotton or corn nicely
win produce Scuppernong grapes. They
GO 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 Scuppernong
vine and letting it fall on the ground In
Uune and throwing a few ~shovelsfull OF
dirt on 1t at from w 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 LIST, and set out.
Cage should be used in selecting thrift
~ vines with nice grapes, 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 vii 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 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, OIL grow to the top in one yea, If
properly cared for. The best method
is to wire the ines. When this 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 Nc. "A wire. If well braced
at the ends. this gives all the posts
secure bracing. AS the vines grow and
spread out you add one 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 ana
have to support their own weight. they
do not grow so rapidly. The vine should
not be allowed to bunch up in knots,
but be kept spread cut and growing
uniformly in all directions. 1t takes
about 10 vines to set an acre properly
laid off. These can be bought through
US at 3 cents each. If o cannot get
them from q nearby vine.
The land should be cultivated with
crops that do not grow too high, and
the vines kept free from trash around
the roots, which grow close to the top
Of the ground, do not cultivate under
the branches, as the roots extend and
draw s~ustenance as far as the branches
run. Hence if you pillow close to he
vines you e up The roots. III oest
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-mold n
straw. The home of the vines is in the
piny woods, where, in the rich origin
soil, it spreads hundreds of feet. The
best vines we have ever seen We're IN
old garden plots where they were never
plewed. but the weeds kept down. A
good plan is. perhaps to have sleeps
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 mulca
While fertilizers may produce unusual
~ heavy crops, we advise using coarse
harm manure in connection with heavy
coatings OF wood-mould and straw, SO
as to keep the soil light and productive.
While the vine viii grow and produce
or light sandy land that will hardly
grow cow peas, yet it should not be ex-
sected 70 get good crops from poor land
The soil should De fortified as described
Dove. Artors can be made OF WOO ],
IS &re Frequently seen. on a mall scale,
but the expenses o. wooden rhors on u
!ar~e scale ia considerable. Galvanized
wire On good posts is the cheapest in
. the long run, and makes much less WORK
t once the vineyard is well wired. 1t
| means only a few posts each year., and
. a little wiring to take up the SLACK
places, and the hauling in Of -coars'
; n7anures. We DO not believe in plowing
close to tic vines. 1t breaks the roofs
. and inevitably damages the vines.
As to gathering, h preferable plan
is to gather by hand, and in small viae-
| yards this can be done. We a spe-
cial PRICES for selected, wand-gathere3
| grapes. But in a large vineyard this
is not practicable. Poles are attached
| to strong sheets made Of canvass, eacn
| about ten feet square and with leather
| handles and a man to each side OF the
sheet, il is easily carried around De-
tween the posts. which are set in ever
rows. Another man or boy. with q
forked stick, shakes he vine gently
just above the sheet. and the ripe
| grapes fall and are caught. Children
pick up the few grapes which fall out
| side the sheet. The vines should not
I he heatan hard. as not only do yOti