GROWING THE EUROPEAN GRAPE IN OREGON 



Bif Hon. a. H. Carson, Commissioner of the State Board of Horticulture for 



the Fifth District. 



Whatever knowledge I may have was gained through more than twenty 

 years of practical experience in grape-growing. I hope I may be able in 

 this paper to point out details in the starting, growing and management of 

 a vineyard that will aid the beginners so that they may avoid the errors 

 and mistakes of which I have mac^e so many. 



The location of the vineyard is an important factor to assure success. 

 The soil must be warm, of good depth and well drained. Cold, wet land is 

 not congenial to the growth of the grape. Our foothill lands in the Eogue 

 Eiver Valley and along the Columbia Eiver from The Dalles eastward, if 

 the loam has depth not less than two feet, sloping to the southeast, south 

 and. southwest, with an elevation from twelve hundred to twenty-five hun- 

 dred feet in the Rogue River Valley and under one thousand feet on the 

 slopes of the Columbia and Snake Rivers, are ideal locations for vineyards, 

 providing there is not too much broken rock in the soil to prevent thorough 

 plowing and subsequent cultivation. To mature the grape it must be grown 

 rn an equable temperature with ample sunshine, and our southeast, south 

 and southwest hillsides are locations that nearer furnish these conditions 

 than would a northern slope or a level flat. 



Do not plant the grape on a northern slope in this climate, as the varia- 

 tion in temperature during every twenty-four hours is much greater than on 

 a southern slope, and, too, a southern slope will give on an average one hour 

 more sunshine in twenty-four hours than on a northern slope. By planting 

 your- vineyard on a southern slope you avoid the blighting effect of the north 

 wind on the bloom. 



The quantity and quality of crapes grown on a northern exposure never 

 equal those grown on a southern exposure. Assuming that the intended 

 vineyard is grubbed and all stumps removed, thorough plowing of the ground 

 to a depth of fourteen to sixteen inches should be had, with the surface 

 well harrowed and pulverized. 



To get this depth we use the turning plow and turn over the surface to 

 a depth of eight inches and with a second team follow up each furrow as 

 turned with a subsoil plow, breaking up the subsoil seven to eight inches 

 deeper, letting it fall back into the furrow made by the turning plow. 



Plowing and breaking up the subsoil to this depth insures good drainage 

 to carry off surplus water in case of heavy rainfall, warms up the soil, pul- 

 verizes it, and enables the soil to stand drouth. With proper cultivation, 

 that means much in growth of the new vineyard you seek to establish the 

 first year. 



Many old vineyards are planted too closely, too many vines to the acre; 

 6x8 and 8x8 feet is not distant enough. Any and all of the European va- 

 rieties should not be planted nearer than 9x9 feet, 535 vines to the acre, and 

 10x10 feet would be better. 



To get the best results the vine must have room to grow, with ample soil 

 from which to draw its food, and you must have room to till and cultivate 

 to make this plant food available to the young or old growing vine. 



Preparatory to planting the young vines use a line about 300 feet long 

 and lay out the end and side lines of the vineyard, so ih;ir .>ne end and one 

 side form a true right angle. Without a compass you can use a carpenter's 



