162 



FARMERS' REGISTER, 



ISABELLA GRAPE VINES — WINE, &C. 



From tlic Cultivator. 



The cultivation of grape vines and making of 

 wine is getting to be so well understood tlirough- 

 out the United States, through the medium of our 

 excellent agricultural periodicals, that what I am 

 about to write, is probably already known to some 

 of your readers ; yet the repetition of mteresting 

 facts is often of much benefit, and the results of 

 experience in these matters can scarcely be too 

 often repeated. 



The very numerous attempts (o raise grapes 

 from foreign vines in the open air, have resulted 

 in disappointment. The late Mr. Parmenter, of 

 Brooklyn, Long-Island, devoted much labor and 

 expense on foreign vines, to very little purpose. Mr. 

 Loubat, also near Brooklyn, planted a large vine- 

 yard, and for some years flattered hiniself with 

 hopes which resulted in loss or disappointment. In 

 gome few instances in Brooklyn and New York, 

 where the vines were protected by surrounding 

 buildings, the Chesselas and other foreign varie- 

 ties yielded well, thereby only demonstrating that 

 such fruit can be obtained if cultivators will be at 

 the trouble of erecting proper houses for the pur- 

 pose. 



The Isabella grape vine is supposed to be a 

 native of North Carolina. It first obtained its 

 well deserved notoriety at Brooklyn, in the garden 

 of Geo. Gibbs, Esq. now of St. Augustine, Flo- 

 rida ; and derived its nevi^ name from his lady, 

 Mrs. Isabella Gibbs, who was instrumental in o"b- 

 taming it from the south for her garden. The origi- 

 nal parent of all the Isabella vines is now to be seen 

 in the garden of Zachariah Lewis, Esq. on Brook- 

 lyn heights. Tliis favorite vine has spread itself 

 throughout the northern states of the union, in 

 Canada, and has been imported into France, and 

 drawn forth the favorable notice of the French 

 cultivators. Almost every garden and doorway 

 in Brooklyn and New York can boast of its proli- 

 fic vine, always yielding abundance to the carelijl 

 cultivator. 



In the year 1827, 1 set out, at a small place near 

 Brooklyn, the cuttings for about 300 Isabella 

 vines, and fifty foreign vines from France and 

 (^ermany. By reason of careless cultivation fi-om 

 bad tenants, they did not come into bearing until 

 1831, in which year I was able to exhibit five 

 kinds of very fine grapes at the horticultural ex- 

 hibition in New York. I also sent large quanti- 

 ties to the market, and made about fifty gallons of 

 wine, merely as an experiment, as I supposed my- 

 self to be the first who had attempted to make 

 wine of this grape. This wine was of two kinds, 

 made in October, 1831, and in April following 

 was put into bottles, and one bottle of each kind 

 sent to about fifty persons in different parts, who 

 were supposed to Itiel an interest in the matter. 

 One kind was made of pure juice, to which two 

 pounds of sugar to each gallon was added. The 

 other kind was composed of one-third water to 

 two-thirds juice — three pounds of sugar to each 

 gallon — one gallon of brandy to a cask of nine- 

 teen gallons. Some of this wine attained five 

 years, and was pronounced very excellent. 



In the year 1832, ni}' little vineyard bore very 

 abundantly, and I made, in October of that year, 

 eight barrels of wine. It was made in a variety 

 of modes, to test the quality of the grope, and did 



not all prove good ; but far the greater part was 

 very excellent and improved with age. 



I will now proceed to describe my mode of 

 planting and cultivating the vine, and of making 

 wine. 



The cuttings intended for propagation are of any 

 well ripened wood of the last year's growth, em- 

 bracing three or more joints or buds. It is pre- 

 fijrred that it should be connected at the lower joint 

 with some small part of the old wood of the pre- 

 vious year. These cuttings are taken from the 

 parent vine at any time between the first of No- 

 vember and first of March and immediately buried 

 in the earth, or put under earth in the cellar, or 

 sometimes the ends are put in a box or basket 

 with earth, and set in a green house, and vi^ater 

 occasionally sprinkled on then). In the spring, 

 if they are not placed in their permanent locations, 

 they may be carefully set out in the garden, at 

 one foot apart every way, the upper bud being 

 just even with the .surface of : he earth. If the 

 season is dry, they will require to be waterd seve- 

 ral times to insure their growth. They will grow 

 a foot or more in length the first season. In the 

 following spring they may be transplanted to their 

 permanent places, around buildings, fiances, trees, 

 and arbors. I trim the new sprouts down to three or 

 four buds, intending thai two only shall be allowed 

 to grow, and those to be trained off from the root 

 in diflierent directions, according to the circum- 

 stances of your trellis, or supporter. My vine- 

 yard was planted in rows, eight feet apart, and 

 vines eiglit feel in the rows ; but alter a ^e.vf years 

 the trellis became so burdened, that I look up and 

 removed one-half the vines, and left them f vxfeen 

 feet apart in the rows. Each vine, therefore, had 

 sixteen feet of trellis, being eight feet on each side 

 of the root. The two main branches were tied to 

 the lower part of the trellis, and the lateral 

 branches tied to the rails above. 



My trellis was composed • of (bur laths, open 

 at the top, as I suppo.-=ed it was necessary that the 

 sun and air should liave a good circulation among 

 the vines ; but I am now convinced that a top sur- 

 face, as afforded by an arbor, is necessary. The 

 great exuberance of the vine causes the new shoots 

 to run up into the air above the trellis, and the 

 wind will prostrate and break them, unless they 

 have a flat arbor to rest upon. The fruit hangs 

 with great weight on the branches, which are of- 

 ten broken unless they can rest on an arbor, or 

 are well tied to the upright supporters. 



As there are /ijur distinct /iriwi/zigs, or trim- 

 mings, required in properly cultivating the Isa- 

 bella vine, I will now describe them ; merely re- 

 marking, that although the vine will give fruit 

 when some of these trimmings are neglected^ yet 

 no cultivator has a right to expect goo(Zyri<i7 with- 

 out bestowing the requisite time and attention to 

 their prunings. 



First the winter pruning. This is best done in 

 February or March, provided the vines are not 

 fi-ozen ; but may be done ai any time between Oc- 

 tober and April. It consists in reducing the old 

 wood according to the extent of your trellis, and 

 the age of the vine, and strength of the root. Atl 

 unripe wood is cleared off — old wood thinned out, 

 and ripe wood of the last year's growth shortened 

 down to two or three buds, except such runners as 

 shall be selected to cover the trellis. Much de- 

 pends on judgment in this trimming. It is diffi- 



