CARE OF TREES AND PLANTS 175 



The Vineyard. 



While the grape vine is reasonably hardy throughout southern Ne- 

 braska, yet the variety of our winters is such that there is a lessened 

 evaporation and a stronger and more vigorous vine, if in our trying 

 climate, it can receive some winter protection. In case the winters 

 should be very, very dry, there is danger of root killing. In the vineyards 

 belonging to the late Bx-Governor Furnas at Brownville, some years 

 •ago, ten thousand vines were lost by root killing. This by reason of a 

 severely cold and very dry weather, therefore, we have found it well 

 to trim our vineyards each autumn. The fruit next year is formed on the 

 new wood of the present season's growth The object of pruning is to 

 shorten the new growth, leaving approximately the amount of fruiting 

 wood which the vine can safely carry. It will be found wise to shorten 

 the laterals to three, four or five buds, depending on the varieties and to 

 some extent, on the age and vigor of the vine. The buds left on the 

 laterals develop next season's fruit. The main canes are shortened to 

 suitable length depending also on the age and vigor of the vine. 



After pruning, we cut the vines loose from the trellis, drop them on 

 the ground, put two or three forks full of straw over each vine and over 

 that place sufficient amount of soil to keep the straw from blowing away. 



We would figure the expenditure of 3 cents per vine as being suffi- 

 cient for pruning, hauling the straw, covering and protecting t'.ie vine- 

 yards for winter. 



3Iui('l;iiig' the Small Fruit Plaiitiitioii. 



Currants, gooseberries, raspberries and blackberries should be very 

 heavily mulched before winter. Stable litter is usually the most con- 

 venient for mulching currants and gooseberries. For many years, we 

 have used straw in the raspberry and blackberry plantations. In these 

 plantations, we allow the straw to remain on the rows the entire season, 

 with the result that it checks the growth of weeds, and retains the 

 moisture for the beenefit of the plantation. Since adopting this method, 

 we have never failed to secure a ciop of fruit. About the time the ground 

 commences to freeze, the strawberry plantation should be thoroughly 

 covered with old hay. Why? Because old hay is free from weed seed. 

 A covering of an inch is sufficient. In very windy districts, it is some- 

 times necessary to confine this covering by occasional weights, lest it 

 should be blown off by high winds, but after it is matted down, it usually 

 sticks the winter through. We have often times used stable litter, pre- 

 ferably litter from stables where prairie hay was fed. Not wise to use 

 litter from stable where clover is fed, since it is liable to result in a con- 

 siderable amount of clover springing up within the plantation. Failing 

 to get either hay or stable litter, use straw, selecting that which is as 

 free as possible from weed seeds. 



