100 INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF VITICULTURE 



first rooted in nursery rows. The cuttings are made about twelve or fifteen 

 inches in length. Two cuttings, as a rule, are placed in each hole in the 

 field. Most of the old time grape growers bend the lower end of the cutting 

 almost at right angles when placed in the hole. Immediately after the cut- 

 tings are planted they are irrigated. If the ground cracks around the cut- 

 tings it is customary to go over the field and throw a little dirt around them. 

 Sometimes a second irrigation is given, which tends to prevent the cracking 

 of the soil. This method of propagation is followed almost altogether by the 

 Spanish-American vineyardists. The American grape growers, as a rule, 

 prefer to use the rooted cuttings which they can purchase from California 

 nurseries. 



Soils. 



The European grape is quite cosmopolitan in its soil requirements. The 

 best all-round soil, however, for European grapes is a sandy to a sandy 

 loam. This grape makes too rank a growth and is liable to ripen its fruit 

 more or less irregularly and later when grown on heavy adobe soils. A 

 soil that may be considered almost too sandy for any other fruit or vegetable 

 may be used very satisfactorily for the Vinifera grape. The sandy to sandy 

 loam will produce, other things remaining favorable, a better, earlier, sweeter 

 and larger berry and the bunches will ripen more uniformly than on the 

 heavy adobe soil. Wet or alkaline soils are not considered desirable for 

 grapes. Soils which have the water table close to the surface should be 

 avoided in grape culture. 



Distance to Plant. 



There is some difference of opinion among the grape growers as to the 

 best distance between the vines, and this distance depends, to some degree, 

 on the variety, but more particularly on the kind of soil. If the soil is a 

 sandy to a sandy loam the distance between the vines is less than when a 

 heavy adobe soil is used. 



When the stump system of training the vines and heavy pruning are 

 practised, and if a light soil is used, the distance may vary from seven by 

 seven to ten by ten. Most of the vineyards are planted seven by seven or 

 eight by eight feet apart. 



Staking the Vines. 



It is a good practice, after the first season's growth, to tie the small vine 

 to the stakes driven down in the soil close to the plants. The stakes may be 

 made out of any durable wood and vary from two and one-half to three feet 

 in length. The vines are kept tied to these stakes until the stump has been 

 formed which is from two to three seasons. The staking of vines encourages 

 a more upright and straighter stem or stump. 



Cultivation. 



The cultivation of the New Mexico vineyard consists of one plowing in 

 the fall and one in the early spring before the vines are trimmed, foFowed by 

 shallow surface cultivations to keep down the weeds and to keep more or less 

 of a soil mulch. The summer surface cultivations will vary from four to six, 

 depending on the character of the soil and the season. The heavier the soil, 

 as a rule, the more cultivations and the harder it is to keep a good soil mulch 

 The weeds are also worse on the heavy adobe soil. 



