FALL TREATMENT OF VINEYARDS. 



DURING the picking season the care- 

 ful grape grower will make fre- 

 quent trips over those portions of 

 the vineyard that are supposed to be cleaned 

 up. The dense foliage often hides a few 

 .trays of ,good grapes as the crop is being 

 gathered, which would be spoiled in a few 

 days. All the empty trays or picking boxes 

 left in the field should be kept picked up; 

 the picking standards used to raise the tray 

 from the ground in picking should be 

 promptly repaired and put under shelter for 

 another season's use. By keeping them 

 clean and dry adds years to their usefulness 

 and makes a much more suitable receptacle 

 for the fruit, to say nothing of appearance, 

 a factor not to be treated lightly. 



Tillage should be such that leaves the 

 surface slightly higher along the row, and 

 sloping toward the center between the rows. 

 This will have a tendency to run off all sur- 

 plus water and keep it from settling around 

 the vines during winter. Plowing the vine- 

 yard after the crop has been harvested is 

 not to be recommended. The season's 

 growth is finished. No possible good, and 

 only harm, can come from cultivation, 

 which converts the soil into a sponge, thus 

 holding every particle of rainfall, when it 

 does more harm than good. Cultivation 

 should cease by August lo or thereabouts, 

 alowing the soil and roots to remain undis- 

 turbed until next spring. 



At the last cultivation it is advisable to 

 sow a cover crop, to hold the soil and keep 

 it from washing and leaching, catch and re- 

 tain snow, as well as protect the soil and 

 roots from sudden changes of temperature. 

 If weeds are making a rank growth during 

 the fall, cut them before the seeds have de- 

 veloped. 



There may be advantages that would 

 overbalance the ill effects of fall plowing, 

 such as covering up the rotted grapes; 

 thereby getting rid of part of the fungous 



spores contained in them, which would de- 

 velop more rapidly on the surface and in- 

 crease the amount of rot another year. 

 During the picking and packing season care 

 should be exercised as to the disposal of the 

 rotten grapes. Destroy every sign of a 

 diseased fruit. 



Some vineyardists have a h bit of leav- 

 ing the vines until spring before trimming. 

 We always prune as soon after the leaves 

 fall as possible. However, it's better to 

 wait until after a few heavy freezes. This 

 will dry up the sap and make it easy to dis- 

 tinguish immature growth. We use most- 

 ly the Kniffin system, or what I consider a 

 modification of that method. Whatever 

 system is followed, it's always safe to advise 

 observing the growth of the previous sea- 

 son in order to determine if any change is 

 to be made. After the vines are trimmed 

 see that they are loosened from the wires. 

 The material used in tying may cut into the 

 wood another year if it is left, also damage 

 may be done by heavy snow dragging the 

 canes down over the wires. Pull the sur- 

 plus wood into the middle between the rows. 

 In doing this, it's best to pull against the 

 posts. If possible, draw out and burn the 

 brush in the fall, saving this time for other 

 spring work. 



A pole about two inches in diameter and 

 12 or 14 feet long is used to draw out the 

 brush. Attach a strong wire, say 5 feet 

 from the large end, letting it extend a little 

 farther than the end, to hitch the horse to. 

 I like to review the experiences of the sea- 

 son after the crop has been harvested, and 

 fix in my mind anything I have learned ; or 

 better yet, take notes during the entire year. 

 In this way any change I wish to make, any 

 new plans I may wish to introduce, is not 

 forgotten. Otherwise, it might be thought 

 of only when I see my mistake, and too late 

 to put it into execution. — American Agri- 

 culturist. 



