138 



AMERICAN GRAPE GROWIKG 



CHAPTER XXX. 



GRAPE CULTURE AT KELLEY'S ISLAND, OHIO. 



BY ADDISON KELLEY. 



This Island has some 650 acres in bearing vineyards, 

 probably nine-tenths of the vines are Catawbas ; Concords 

 are next in quantity, being near half of the remaining 

 tenth ; then Isabella, Delaware, Ives, Nortons, Hartford, 

 "Wilder (Rogers' No. 4), Clinton, and Oporto. There are 

 some fifty other varieties, but 

 only for amateurs and on triaL 

 The land is prepared for setting 

 by under-draining, by means of 

 ditches from 2 1 /, to 3 feet deep, 

 with hollow drain, made mostly 

 with thin, flat surface stone, set 

 up on the bottom, as in figure 24, 

 and covered. Another kind, called the " Shoulder drain," 

 is made as in figure 25, and covered or filled in with the 

 earth that was thrown out ; distance apart, 32 or 40 feet, 

 or in fourth or fifth rows. 



A few vineyards have tile-drains. Some vineyards have 

 natural drainage, the rock (limestone) being cracked into 

 open seams, with heavy marl over it, from 1 foot to 3 

 feet deep ; this proves to be the best drainage. 



Roots one year old are usually planted. Where the soil 

 is suitable, cuttings have proved as good as roots. They 

 are put two in a place. Those that grow are quite as good 

 as roots. Where both live, one is removed. The most 

 common distance for planting is in rows 8 feet apart and G 

 feet in the row. The vines are cultivated like corn, for one, 

 and sometimes two years, before trellising. The second 

 year the vines are cut down to two buds, in the usual way. 

 For trellising, posts are set, one to every four or five vines, 



25 - 



