[JAN. 41 



THE VINEYARD. 



AN infant institution of such important national utility as the 

 cultivation of the VINE, merits the attention and support of every 

 lover of his country. The practicability of producing Wine^ in the 

 United States, cannot be doubted ; the experiment has been made 

 successfully, in Pennsylvania, Kentucky, and South-Carolina : 

 nothing is now wanting, but the liberal and spirited exertions of the 

 citizens, to carry it to such perfection, especially in the middle and 

 southern states ; as in the course of a few years, to produce a 

 sufficient supply for home consumption, and in time, a large quan- 

 tity for exportation. 



Work to be done in the Vineyard. 



In severe weather, when other work cannot be performed, pre- 

 pare poles for the support of the vines ; these, for sake of durabili- 

 ty, ought to be made of red cedar, white oak, or chesnut, split and 

 seasoned, and to be made one inch and a half, or two inches square, 

 and six and a half, or seven feet long ; pointed at the lower end, 

 and if that part which is to be inserted in, the ground, and about 

 three inches above it, say fifteen inches, be dipped in boiling pitch, 

 it will be of considerable advantage ; if this is not convenient, let 

 that part be slightly scorched in the fire, which will prevent their 

 rotting, so soon as they otherwise would. Round poles, such as 

 are used for hoops, of about two inches diameter will do, but these 

 soon rot, and will require to be replaced, every two or three years ; 

 when the former would last, if made of the heart of well grown 

 timber, fifteen or twenty years. Sticks of four or five feet long, 

 may also be made, for the purpose of supporting young vines, dur- 

 ing the first and second years of their growth ; after which they are 

 to be taken away to answer a similar purpose, and replaced with the 

 tall poles ; those may be made one inch and a quarter square, point- 

 ed, and dipped in pitch as above. 



You may also at this season cart manure into the vineyard, and 

 spread it as directed in February, repair old fences, and prepare posts 

 and rails, or boards, for new ones ; examine your ploughs, harrows, 

 spades, shovels, hoes, mattocks, and all your other tools, and have 

 such as need it repaired ; purchase any new tools that may be wan- 

 ted, and have ail your necessaries in readiness for the opening of the 

 spring. 



In such of the southern states, as have mild winters, and early 

 vegetation, vines may now be pruned, as directed under the head 

 Vineyard in February, but with them, November would be a much 

 more eligible time for this work. In the middle states you must 

 defer the pruning of vines, to the last week or ten days in February, 

 not later, except in extremely severe weather, but on no account 

 later than the first week of March, for soon after that period, the 

 sap begins to ascend, after which, were you to prune them, they 

 would bleed so copiously from where the wounds were inflicted, as 



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