THE VINEYARD IN MAY AND JUNE. 1 79 



THE VINEYARD IN MAY AND JUNE. 



A. A. BOST, EXCELSIOR. 



It will be impossible in the time alloted to go into details on 

 many points. This is not only the most important time in the care 

 of the vineyard but covers a period when most of the work of the 

 season is done. It takes the vine from the dormant state to within 

 six weeks of our first ripe grapes. I am asked to consider briefly 

 each step, beginning with setting out the vines. 



Having selected your most favorable location, a southern or 

 eastern slope, (elevation you mvist have), and secured your vines — 

 usually two years old — plow your ground deep with a common 

 cross-plow, followed by a subsoil plow, and harrow well, as for 

 any crop. Mark off your ground by using small stakes, three or 

 four feet long, and set them eight feet apart each way, making 

 calculations to have a narrow alley crosswise of the rows every 

 two hundred feet. This is for convenience in carrying out fruit, 

 etc. 



These stakes will answer in place of a trellis for the first year 

 or two, after which you will put in your trellis. Having your stakes 

 set you will have holes dug on a slant so that your young vines may 

 be set slanting toward the post, and about a foot away from it. 

 Before planting trim the vines back to two or three buds and prune 

 roots back at least to eight to ten inches in length, being careful to cut 

 off closely all surface roots. This pruning of surface roots should 

 be done at least every two years thereafter — but we will come to 

 this later. These newly set vines will need little attention during 

 May and June except to tie the growing canes in the proper di- 

 rection. It will be understood that our vines are to be trained to 

 the east or north and all in the same direction. When they 

 attain full length — about the second or third year — they will reach 

 so as to overlap each other a foot or more. 



Very little more need be done the second year except to select 

 the most promising shoot and pinch off all others so as to encourage a 

 heavy growth in the cane selected for our permanent vine. 



We will now consider our young vineyard established and ready 

 to start out on its third year's growth. The same directions will 

 apply to vines of all ages. Put up \our trellis, consisting of posts 

 set every twelve feet in the rows, bracing all end posts, and putting 

 on three or four wires, fourteen inches apart, beginning with the 

 lower ware, which should be eighteen inches from the ground. 



No exact date can be given for uncovering the vines in the 

 spring. The later we can keep them back, the safer they are from 



