Growing the European Grape in Oregon. . 103 



square to lay otf a right angle. Peg these side and end lines the distance 

 apart you wish your vines to stand in the vineyard. Use pegs half an inch 

 in diameter, and in making your measurements from peg to peg use a pole 

 the desired length between vines, always pegging carefully the distance 

 your pole indicates. Hy using the line on each row and setting the pegs 

 carefully with a well stretched line you can lay off any number of acres on 

 level or rolling ground and the pegs will be in line in all directions. In 

 planting the young vines do not remove the peg, but plant them on the 

 south side of each peg, so that the top bud of the vine will be about one 

 inch from the peg. 



I would alwaj's use one-year-old rooted vines; cuttings are too much risk, 

 as many of them fail to root in the vineyard, and if you use them you will 

 always have many vacant places in the vineyard which you will have to 

 replant the following year. Eoot your cuttings in warm, sandy loam in 

 nursery. 



A strong-rooted vine of one year's growth will put out canes from one to 

 two feet in length. Cut back all of this growth to two or three buds. 

 Shear off all lateral rootlets on the rooted cuttings close to the cutting, and 

 of the rootlets at the lower part of the rooted vine, shorten them to two or 

 three inches. This prepares the young vine to be planted in its new home. 

 You can plant this young rooted vine any time in this climate from No- 

 vember 15 to May 1, providing you have the soil in condition and the 

 weather is not freezing. What I mean by soil in condition is when it will 

 work free and it is not too wet. 



Last year I planted in vineyard 4,000 one-year rooted vines during April, 

 and my" loss was only one-half of 1 per cent. The most oi this small loss 

 was caused by rabbits and cutworms eating off the tender growth during 

 the summer as fast as it grew. 



After planting out, all you have to do this year is to cultivate and keep 

 on cultivating whether there are weeds or not until August 15. Stir the 

 surface soil once a week with a harrow or spring-tooth to conserve moisture. 

 Your success in growing a vineyard will be in your willingness to pay the 

 price — work. If you do not possess that capital — a willingness to work and 

 bestow the necessary labor — don't plant a vineyard, as your success or your 

 non-success will reflect your personality. 



The first year let every bud that quickens and grows alone. Do not 

 remove a leaf. It is one of the organs of the plant in conjunction with the 

 roots that is necessary to establish the vine in the new home you have 

 placed it in. 



The first year the growth of the vine will be small and the beginner may 

 at the end of the growing period be discouraged and fear that his soil and 

 location are not adapted to the growth of the grape. Time will prove his 

 fears are without reason. In February or March of the second year go over 

 your young vineyard and cut back all growth of the first year, leaving only 

 two or three buds. If two or more canes have grown, take off the weaker 

 ones and leave the stronger one, but be sure to cut it back to two or three 

 buds. Cultivate the vineyard as I suggested for the first year. By the 

 middle of June you will find that many of your vines have grown canes 

 four feet long or more, with strong, vigorous canes. 



Pluck or cut off the weaker canes; drive a sharpened stake on the north 

 side of the strong cane left and tie to it. After being driven the stake 

 should be two feet high. It should be driven firmly. Tying the cane to the 

 stake is particular work, as this cane forms the future stump to support 

 the grape you hope to grow. 



Two strong strings are required to tie a growing cane to the stake. The 

 loop left around the growing cane must be left large enough so that the 

 growing cane will not fill it so as to cut off and strangle it. The top string 

 must be tied firmly near the top of the stake in a notch cut into the stake, 



