SUMMER MEETING. 73 



ized limestone; this is nature's own fertilizer, they not only hold the 

 heat and moisture, but by the constant disintegration of these rocks 

 gives us a fertilizer not to be found elsewhere, and with perfect atmofj- 

 pheric conditions we have a soil and climate specially adapted to the 

 grape. 



This ground was covered with a second growth of black jack, 

 post and white oaks, hickory s, etc. We cleared this off, cutting stumps 

 very low, and plowed it thoroughly with what is known as a "Bull- 

 tongue" plow. Cross-plowing with same, this cleared it pretty well of 

 roots, and left most of the loose rock on the surface, where we wish 

 to keep them. We then laid off the ground, making our rows 8 feet 

 apart each way. Permit me to state right here, were I to increase my 

 acreage, I would not set closer than 10 by 10 feet, and if to be kept 

 on the stake system, even further apart. Our vines, as they are now 

 set, crowd us, and with diflficulty we can drive through with wagon to 

 replace and straighten up posts. We bought one and two-yearold 

 vines, the best to be had. I had a force of men digging the holes one 

 foot deep and eighteen inches square, another set of picked men 

 follcw'iug setting out the grapes, one carrying the vines, spreading the 

 roots carefully in the hole, the other filling in the fresh earth, being 

 careful to get as few rocks on or near the roots as possible. Of the 

 20,000 put out in March, we did not lose a half of one per cent. We 

 gave them thorough cultivation all through the season, allowing them 

 to run at will on the ground, knowing a good leaf growth meant a cor- 

 responding root growth. Many of those vines made a growth the 

 first season of 16 to 18 feet. Early the next spring we pruned to two 

 buds, selecting the strongest and best. During the winter we had 

 cut, barked, sharpened and driven over 20,000 stakes while the 

 ground was soft. We make our stakes seven and one-half feet long 

 and about the size of a good fence stake, mostly post oak. These we 

 drive one and one-half feet in the ground, near the vine, in perfectly 

 straight rows. We then tied the young shoots as they came to the 

 stake, pinching back and thinning, removing all new growth from 

 about the roots. 



Thorough cultivation and constant tilling gave us a marvelous 

 growth. The next spring, or second year from time of planting, we 

 pruned the two canes to about four and a half feet in height, cutting 

 all laterals to one and two buds. We found from experience the sea- 

 son before that it would need something stronger than binding twine 

 to hold them to the stake. We wound the two canes in opposite direc- 

 tions around the stake and fastened them by driving a barbed wire 

 staple just below the last joint to the stake, not enough to kill the 



