HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS. 



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new kinds of more or less excellence are being 

 introduced every year, that we do not venture 

 to present a list, but refer the reader to cata- 

 logues and the current grape literature; and 

 even with these aids a wise selection will be a 

 difficult matter to make. It will always be well 

 to learn which Grapes do well in the neighbor- 

 hood, or under conditions similar to your own. 

 The perfect Grape is yet to come. 



It will not be out of place to add here a cau- 

 tion against overcropping, a mistake quite com- 

 monly made by the novice. He quite as often 

 makes another mistake in allowing a cane to 

 fruit before it is strong enough to ripen the 

 berries without injury to its future well-doing. 

 Sometimes he will combine these two mistakes 

 in the same Vine, and ruin it. In the end noth- 

 ing is lost by patient waiting; rather there is 

 much gain, at least as regards the Grape. While , 

 speaking of mistakes we may allude to two 

 others connected with planting, both of which 

 have caused the loss of many Vines. One con- 

 sists in planting too deep and the other too 

 shallow. If the young Vines are planted too 

 deep, root-action is enfeebled, the Vines make a 

 puny growth, and are either winter killed or 

 die a lingering death. If they are planted too 

 shallow, the frost throws the crown to the sur- 

 face, and the plant is winter killed: a result 

 that is only too common where the young 

 plants are not covered. This latter mistake 

 may be avoided as follows: when a hole is dug 

 in newly-prepared ground to the proper depth, 

 make the bottom firm by pressure with the 

 foot, but do not pack it hard ; then sprinkle on 

 this firmed surface a little fine soil as a bed for 

 the roots to rest on, and finish in the usual way. 

 It must be understood that when it is said that 

 a Vine must be planted at a certain depth, it is 

 meant that the crown or neck of the plant must 

 be at that depth. If the ground to be occu- 

 pied as a vineyard could be prepared a month 

 or so before being planted, so as to allow time 

 for the soil to settle, we should hear of fewer 

 failures in planting. Where Vines are to be 

 planted only two or three feet apart, as in the 

 Thomery system, it is better to open a trench 

 the whole length of the row, to avoid disturb- 

 ing the roots of the vines already planted by 

 digging holes so close to each other. In plant- 

 ing on a large scale, it is an excellent plan to 

 select the best men to "set" the plants, with 

 earth enough around them to hold the plants in 

 place, while the others follow and finish filling 

 up the holes. On hillsides it is better to make 

 the bottom of the hole very nearly of the slope 

 of the hill; the canes will grow upright, and 

 that is all that is needed; but being placed in 

 the proper position at the time of planting, the 

 roots will be saved the labor of working their 

 way there, as they will be sure to do. If the 

 hillside should be steep, it should be partly 

 terraced, if it can be done. In all these cases 

 something must be left to the judgment of the 

 planter. 



In regard to the support for the Vine, some 

 systems of training, such as the Bow and Single 

 Upright Stock, need nothing more than a dur- 

 able stake, or sometimes two, and there is noth- 

 ing better than Cedar poles. Trellises of vari- 

 ous kinds and materials have been tried, but 

 there is nothing so good as wire stretched on 

 Chestnut or Locust posts, where these can be 

 had. The first cost of a wire trellis is greater 

 than most others, but, on account of its durabil- 



VIT 



ity and convenience, it is much the cheapest in 

 the end. We know of no other that will make 

 a permanent support for the Vine. Others can 

 be used where wood is plenty, but not because 

 they are cheaper. It is a matter, however, in 

 which many must consult their means. 



The subject of cultivation is one of great 

 importance, and not appreciated by beginners 

 as it should be. They see the native Vine 

 growing wild all around them, and conclude 

 that the Vine in the vineyard will thrive 

 under the same neglect. Many have found 

 this to be an expensive mistake. The vineyard 

 should be cultivated just as any other crop. 

 Take the same care of it as you would of a crop 

 of Corn, and it will give y ju satisfactory and re- 

 munerative crops ; otherwise it will not. After 

 the Vines become established the plowing should 

 be shallow. The cultivator should be used for 

 the destruction of weeds and keeping the sur- 

 face soil mellow. The hoe will be needed to 

 kill the weeds immediately around the plants. 

 There are plows and other implements pecu- 

 liarly adapted for use in the vineyard, which do 

 the work better than those in common use. In 

 plowing, always do it so as to leave the dead 

 furrow in the middle. This may be done by 

 beginning on the upper side, and throwing the 

 furrow slice to the Vines ; then pass to the lower 

 side, and also throw the furrow slice to the 

 Vines; again pass to the upper side, and then 

 to the lower, till the space between the two rows 

 has been plowed, and the dead furrow will come 

 in the middle. At the next plowing reverse 

 this order by beginning in the middle, and the 

 ground will be level. 



Where Vines are covered, the pruning should 

 be done in the fall, before the Vines are laid 

 down. In this case, plowing to the Vines in the 

 fall, as just described, will help to cover the 

 canes, besides affording additional protection to 

 the roots; but the plowing should be reversed 

 in the spring when this is done. This method 

 combines the advantages of fall plowing and 

 winter covering so well, that it is worthy of 

 general consideration. Top dressings will at 

 times be needed, and are best applied in the 

 fall in connection with this plowing to and 

 from the Vines. Plowing in the vineyard should 

 never be so deep as to injure the roots of the 

 Vines. This is an important matter, and has 

 much to do with the health and fruitfulness of 

 the Vines. On steep hillsides, where a plow 

 cannot be used, recourse is had to a strong two- 

 pronged hoe to loosen the soil when necessary. 

 It may be useful to state here that Vines may be 

 fitted for laying down while they are being 

 trained. Let the trellis or stake be set about a 

 foot from the Vine, and the latter carried to it 

 at an angle of about forty-five degrees, and the 

 Vine can be bent to the ground with compara- 

 tive ease at the time of covering. 



We add a few words about marketing, the point 

 where the profit comes in. The Grapes, first of 

 all, should be ripe before they are gathered. A 

 shallow basket is best to place the Grapes in 

 when gathered. The bunches should be cut 

 with grape-scissors, and handled so carefully as 

 not to rub off the bloom. They should be taken 

 to the packing house or some place under cover, 

 and assorted and packed for market. All the 

 bruised and imperfect berries should be cut out, 

 and the bunches laid in separate places, as first 

 and second best. The packer then places them 

 in boxes made for the purpose, and these are 



