252 THE GRAPE. 



Strong loamy or gravelly soils are preferable limestone soils 

 being usually the best and a warm, open, sunny exposure being 

 indispensable. The vines are planted in rows, about six feet 

 apart, and trained to upright stakes or posts as in Europe. The 

 ordinary culture is as simple as that of a field of Indian corn one 

 man and horse with the plough, and the horse-cultivator, being 

 able to keep a pretty large surface in good order. The annual 

 pruning is performed in winter, top-dressing the vines when it 

 is necessary in the spring ; and the summer work, stopping side 

 shoots, thinning, tying, and gathering, being chiefly done by 

 women and children. In the fermentation of the newly made 

 wine lies the chief secret of the vigneron, and, much as has 

 been said of this in books, we have satisfied ourselves that 

 careful experiments, or, which is better, a resort to the experi- 

 ence of others, is the only way in which to secure success in 

 the quality of the wine itself. 



DISEASES. The mildew, which is troublesome in some dis- 

 tricts, is easily prevented by keeping the vine of small size, and 

 by the renewal system of pruning, or, never allowing the vine 

 to bear more than two years on spurs from the same old wood. 



The beetles which sometimes infest the grape vines in sum- 

 mer, especially the large brownish yellow vine beetle, (Pelid- 

 nota punclata,) and the grape-vine flea-beetle (Haltica chatybca,) 

 are very destructive to the foliage and buds, and the most effec- 

 tual remedy is hand-picking when taken in time. But we would 

 also very strongly recommend again the use of open mouthed 

 bottles, half filled, (and kept renewed,) with a mixture of sweet- 

 ened water and vinegar, and hung here and there among the 

 vines. Indeed, we have seen bushels of beetles, and other in- 

 sects, destroyed in a season, and all injury prevented, simply 

 by the use of such bottles. 



VARIETIES. There are yet but few varieties of our native 

 grapes that are really worthy of cultivation. Adlum and 

 Prince, in their treatises, describe quite a large number, but 

 many of these are really quite worthless. In the following list 

 will be found described all that we have yet been able to find of 

 any value. Most of these as the Isabella, Catawba, Alexan- 

 der's, &c., are no doubt accidental seedlings from the wild Fox- 

 man women and children do most of the labor, in tying the vines, trimming the 

 lateral shoots, topping the fruit branches, etc. 



In our first experiments we generally used to add sugar to the juice, but our 

 Germans, and indeed all foreigners, give the wine made without sugar the pre- 

 ference. I have now Catawba wine made without sugar 20 years old, sound and 

 still improving. The Catawba will convert from 8 to 10 oz. to the gallon, but 

 when sugar is added it does not so readily fine itself. When I add sugar I mix it 

 with the must as it comes frora the press. The wines our climate will best pro- 

 duce are the dry Hock wines ; though, from our dry Catawba wine, a skilful wine- 

 cooper can make all the varieties of sparkling Hock, etc., equal to the imported. 

 The best Champagne I have ever drunk was made by one of my German tenants, 

 from the Catawba grape." 



