The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-01-03
THE
OF THE
GRAPE.

So many requests have coIne to us as
Ito the best methods OF ~cultivating the
lScuppernong Grape, that We give a
few OF the more important details in a
lcircular letter. We wish to state. in the
beginning. that we are better posted
Jas to wine making than grape growing.
land did not suppose there were il
land owners in Eastern North Carolina
who did not know as much about grape
%igrowing as we do. AS there does not
Iseem to be a full knowledge, however.
we give what We know for what il is
worth.
The Scuppernong will grow and pro-
Iduce grapes on any of the sandy ands
lSouth OF Norfolk, Va, while certain
lSouth Of Norfolk, Va, While certain
I've think We may safely say that any
land which grows cotton or corn nicely
Twill produce Scuppernong grapes. They
lido not seem to bear well West of Middle
North Carolina. THE HOME OF THE
IGRAPE Is IN THE EASTERN PART
lOF THE STATE"
Cuttings may be secured in great
~luuantiy by taking any Scuppernong
Wine and letting it fall on the ground in
ID uiiS olld AAo " A>'
ldirt 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
Ibe taken up and cut off any time from
.INovember 1st to March 1st, and set out.
ICare should be used in selecting thrift
Ity vines with nice grapes. as the vine
Ireproduces the kind. Seeding (vines
lfrom the seed) are not worth planting.
L. .ot - rrhn 4 Lin1 of FRA nRS
lthey will produce.
The land should be laid off nicely, in
Rows of twenty feet apart. the vines
ibeing set out ten feet apart in the rows.
land planted true and square. A good
post standing out of the ground not less
than seven feet should be set to each
Ivine. These should be where practical
Ible. of cedar, oak, or lightwood. as the
tsetting of new posts cuts the roots OIL
the vines. A good cutting will reach
almost to the top of the post when set
lout. or grow to the top in n year, If
properly cared for. The best method
lis to wire the vines. When this is done.
Rows of posts. we'll braced. have 20 be
Iset out around the edge OF the vine
lyard, to which are attached the larger
wires. Down each row a No. 10 galVan-
LIED wire is run as a governor wire.
land stapled to the top of each post.
ACROSS these governor wires, YOU stretch
lat first, one No. IA wire. If we'll hraced
lat the ends. this gives all the posts
Isecure bracing. AS the vines grow ano
lspread out, you add on each side of the
mo. II wire, other wires. always keep
ling good arhors for the vines to run on
; ,If you let the branches fall down and
:, have to support their own weight. they
,, leo not grow so rapidly. h win should
. mot be allowed to bunch I'D in knots
sbut be kept spread out and growing
uniformly in all directions. 1t take
: labout 10 vines to set an acre properly
laid off. These can be bought through
,us at ) cents each, If you can not gel
them from a nearby vine.
i, The land should be cultivated with
: Icrops that do not grow too high. aRc
the vines kept free from trash around
: The roots. which grow close to the tor
. of the ground. o not cultivate under
y the branches, as the roots extend anc
. ldraw sustenance as far as the branche.
run. Hence if you pillow close to tn
. wines you tear up the roots. The bes
. method we know is to keep the roots, a.
: Iaround the body Of the vine, and a
!, lfar as the branches extend. mulcnef
= with a heavy coat Of wood-mould an'
Istraw. The home of the vine is In tn
: piney woods, where, in the ricn Vlrg:'
> soil, 1t spreads hundreds of feet Tn
:, hest vines we have ever seen were Il
= told garden plots where they were neVe
iplowed, but the weeds kept down. J
:. good plan is, perhaps, TO have snee
IgraZe under the vines; but the best plaI
,, lis to keep in cultivation the land no
- shaded, and to keep the weeds down o
the rest by having a heavy mulcf
while fertilizers may produce unusual
lly heavy crops, we advise using coars
!, barn manure in connection with heaV
i~coatings Of woods-mould and straw, S
as to keep the soil light and productive
while the vine will grow and produc
lon light sandy and that will hardl
tgrow COW peas, yet it should not be e.
n lpected 10 get good crops from poor lans
THE soil should be fortified as directe
Iabove. Arbors can be made OF woos
las are frequently seen, on a small seal
/ but the expense of woode arbors on
. large scale is considerable. Galvanize
. wire on good posts is the cheapest
I the long run. and makes much less wor
u Eonce the vineyard is well wired
(. means only a few posts each year. an
"a Ia little wiring to take up the siac
y Iplaces, and the hauling IN of coar!
- lmanures. We do not believe in plowir
lclose to the vines. 1t breaks the roo
. land inevitably damages the vines.
AS TO gathering, the preferable pla
II lis to gather by hand, m in small win,
IL yards this can be don We pay sp'
y Icial prices for selected. hand-gathere
:. Igrapes. But in a large vineyard tn
: lis not practicable. Poles are attache
Ito strong sheets made of anvas ear
q about ten feet square. and with leath'