64 State Horticultural Society. 



vineyard the following is necessary : Selection of location, preparation 

 of soil, selection of varieties, planting, cultivation, building a trellis, prun- 

 ing, spraying, preparation for market and marketing. These details must 

 all be worked out at the proper time and in the best possible manner. Take 

 the best location possible, high, with a good air circulation and an east- 

 ern exposure. If a large body of water is adjacent it will be found of ad- 

 vantage. The soil should be a rich clay or loam, with no hard pan. 

 It must be well drained or underdrained. The grape will not thrive in 

 a wet soil. It is well to plow the land a year previous ; also plow the 

 land at time of planting. Make furrows eight feet apart, fifteen inches 

 deep, fill half full of surface soil, place the plants eight feet apart in the 

 row. Every fifth row should be ten feet wide to facilitate driving 

 through with wagon. Thus arranged, it will take 650 vines per acre. 



There is an endless variety of grapes. Do not make the mistake 

 of having too many. Five or six are sufficient. The "Champion" is 

 very thrifty and ripens early in August. It is very poor in quality, but 

 always brings good money. "Moore's Early" is very fine; it needs rich 

 soil as it is a poor grower. Some graft it on the "Champion." The 

 "Concord" is well known. It is the most valuable grape in America. It 

 is very hardy ; it has stood 24 degrees below zero and then yielded three 

 tons per acre. The "Worden" will do, if handled right. Cultivation 

 must be thorough and the vines must not be allowed to overbear ; other- 

 wise, the fruit will not ripen uniformly. The "Telegraph" is popular 

 but does not equal the "Concord." "Goethe" does well in some localities. 

 It must be laid down in winter. As a rule, white and pink grapes do not 

 sell well ; as a commercial proposition, they should be avoided. 



The vine will respond to the mandate of cultivation ; it is a necessity. 

 Potatoes, peas or beans may be grown between the rows the first year, 

 with no harm resulting to the young vine. 



The trellis may be built the second year, but it is not absolutely 

 necessary until the third. We use Osage orange posts, placed sixteen 

 feet apart, with three strands of No, 12 galvanized wire fastened thereto. 

 The top wire should be four and one-half feet from the ground. 



Pruning — This we like to do in the late fall, as no harm results from 

 it. The old wood and leaves should be burned, thereby destroying fungus 

 spore and lurking insects. We adopt the renewal system. This consists 

 of three or four of the strongest canes tied to the trellis in fan shape. 

 The horizontal arm system has some advocates, but we found it more 

 work and no resulting benefit. Thirty buds to one vine is usually 

 enough. Summer pruning must be done sparingly and with judgment. 

 I have seen the fruit in some vineyards sunburned by the removal of 



