Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1906-01-04
How to Have Grapes in Plenty.

planted to the best advantage. The
complaints made against the vine for
not bearing are many and vigorous.
and are due TO the fact that they have
not been planted in such a way as 10
develop strong root growth In the
outset 1t must be said these remarks
refer to the home vine, whether
trained on trellis, or arbor, or house.
or barn. They do not refer to the
vine planted in vineyards that are
cultivated and fortified and properly
cared for. The home vine is generally
stuck IN hole in the ground andi the
earth filled in, when it is left to itself.
1t it bears fruit, well. III 1t fails TO
bear fruit, the nurseryman is cursed
as a fraud, or the variety of vine
planted is charged with the failure,
or some wise neighbor suggests that
the soil may not be adapted ito grapes,
Or the owner finds some far away and
mysterious cause for not getting fruit.
says the New York Tribune farmer.
The cause of failure to get fruit is not
in the soil, or the nurseryman, or the
climate, as rule There are some
soils not favorable TO the grape, aod
there are some nurserymen or their
agents who sell inferior and worth
less stock; but if the vine is planted
as it should be, and tended with even
moderate care, il will repay its owner
by bearing fruit II the soil is heavy
and wet, and the water stands on it or
In 1t, neither the vine nor any fruit
tree will bear being planted i'll it.
Swamp oak or soft maple or skunk
cabbage would thrive in it, but not
fruit bearing trees or vines. Yet such
soil may be put in condition for
vines If Their is any fall for drainage
Such a soil may grow abundance OF
fruit if well drained and It is of little
use to plant the vine in it if it is not
Drainage improves the land for any
and every crop of the farm and garden.
A stony, graVelly soil may not suggest
fertility, but it is safe to plant the
vine in it and expect fruit, if it is
properly done.
The vine may be planted in large
hole, the bottom of which has been
lined with broken bones, and the fill
ing in dirt MIXED with bone meal and
wood ashes. 1t will thrive if thus
planted if some attention is given to
pruning and training; but there is a
\ better way. Ut lis ito plant the vine as
suggested above, in a large hole with
broken bones at the bottom of it, the
filling-in dirt being mixed with bone
meal and wood ashes, 20 inches or
two feet from the lime of arbor or
drellis- Ut rs important to understand
\ this, so it is repeated; plant the vine
20 inches or two feet from the arbor
or trellis where lit is 10 grow, drive a
stake and train TO lit; the first year
When the leaves fall trim is back to
49, or four feet of the root If it
has not made more than four feet OF
growth, cut off the terminal bud only
Now a trench should be dug from the
hole where the vine is planted, about
eight inches deep, To- the arbor or
trellis, and the vine should be bent
filling-in dirt should have bone meal
MIXED with it. Fill in the trench, firm
the soil and turn up the end of the
vine To The trellis. In this way OF
planting the vine will have feeding
ground in the hole in which the roots
were first planted and .also in the two
feet distance to the trellis. 1t will
throw out roots all along this distance
in The trench and feed upon whatever
fertilizing and nourishing material
has been filed in 1t will extend these
roots right and left for great dis.
tances, and if there are other vines
planted along the trelIis in the same
way there will be two feet of border
between the holes in which the vines
were first planted and the tTellis which
may be enriched from time ito time as
the vines grow.
Having such a border along the
trellis will enable the planter to know
exactly where to place the fertilizer
for his vines. He may feel sure that
the border is filled with roots, apO
whatever vine food is spread upon i
or lightly dug into it Will go directly
to nourishing the vines. This border
need not be restricted to two feet. 1t
may Be three feet wide, or even more.
The more vine stem is laid down IN
the soil, the more luxuriant Hill be the
root growth. And this root growth. is
the absolute need of the vine in order
to produce abundance of fruit. BY way
of illustration OF the failure of tilc
ordinary method of planting q vine in
a hole where it is 10 grow, let it be
understood that the vine viii send out
two or three great roots from its foot,
which will run through the soil to
great lengths in search of nourish-
ment. If it is not.supplied near the
stem the roots will go far seeking it
Some one has said that the vine viii
expend its energy in bringing nourish
ment from a distance of 20 or 80
feet to sustain it's life and, will have
elit1ie vigor to produce fruit. This may
be the true explanation of the failure
of such a vine to produce fruit in any