1859. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



281 



can make this gain, others can, now that you have 

 told them how you do it. A pound and a half, 

 and a little more gain, in the fleece throughout a 

 flock of sheep, is no mean item. The wool you 

 sent us is very beautiful. 



GRAPE PREMIUM OP $100 ! 



We have often given the subject of grape cul- 

 ture considerable prominence in our columns, for 

 several reasons ; because we believe our people 

 may use more fruit, as diet, and less meat, — be- 

 cause good varieties (»f well-ripened grapes are 

 nutritious and healthful, — because from them 

 may be obtained the finest wines for sick or in- 

 firm persons, — and because they are indigenous 

 to our soils, natural to the climate, and may be 

 produced cheaply in large quantities. We might 

 add farther — and it is no inconsiderable consid- 

 eration — that the homestead will be much more 

 valuable in the market, if it becomes necessary 

 to place it there, and its occupants will be wiser, 

 happier and better persons, where fruitful grape 

 vines are judiciously disposed over it, climbing 

 a tree here, or hanging on a trellis there, or cov- 

 ering a portion of the dwelling itself, and giving 

 the whole an air of neatness and repose which 

 shall soothe and refresh the aged, and present 

 agreeable attractions to the young. 



We are glad, therefore, to present anything 

 that will encourage the cultivation of a plant so 

 ornamental, and whose fruit is of so much im- 

 portance. 



These remarks are suggested by the receipt of 

 a letter from Mr. Charles H. Dana, of West 

 Lebanon, N. H., who informs us that he places 

 at the disposal of the New Hampshire State Ag- 

 ricultural Society one hundred dollars to be 

 awarded to the person who will present the best 

 kind of grape for garden or vineyard culture in 

 this climate. That the committee may be able 

 to judge correctly of the merits of each kind 

 presented, they should be planted in the same 

 locality, and receive the same cultivation. Mr. 

 Dana proposes to conduct such an experiment 

 himself by planting and cultivating all the kinds 

 offered for this premium. New or rare kinds of 

 grapes, sent to Mr. Dana free of expense to him, 

 will be entered in competition for the premium. 

 Roots are preferred, but cuttings will answer. 



Cuttings of two inches in length may be sent 

 by mail. The ends should be sealed and the cut- 

 tings wrapped in damp paper. The lists will be 

 open for competitors during the months of April 

 and May, 1859. The premium will be awarded 

 in the autumn of the second year after planting. 

 In case the same kinds of grape should be offered 

 by different competitors, or in case different kinds 

 snould prove of equal excellence, the committee 



will be at liberty to divide the premium, or oth- 

 erwise award it in their discretion. 



There is another reason why we should urge 

 upon our New Hampshire friends, and especially, 

 those in the valley of the Connecticut, to give 

 especial attention to the cultivation of the grape, 

 and that is, the failure of the peach and plum, 

 and the great uncertainty of the pear and some 

 of the finer kinds of the apple. 



We are certain that Mr. Dana's offer of a lib- 

 eral premium is timely and judicious, and are as- 

 sured that his character is a sufRcient guaranty 

 that the experiment will be conducted with fideli- 

 ty and honor. 



TRIMMING GRAPE VINES IN SPRING. 



We are frequently asked at what time in spring 

 we trim our vines, and have now before us two 

 letters from subscribers on this subject. Grape 

 vines should not be trimmed in spring. The 

 proper time is November, and in our locality 

 about the 25th. By trimming at that season we 

 get rid of a large amount of surface for contin- 

 ued evaporation and capillary attraction, all of 

 which is increased by winds passing over the sur- 

 faces of a larger amount of the vine ; the ends 

 where the cutting occurs are sure not to bleed 

 when the growth commences ; they may then be 

 firmly tied without the chance of breaking or in- 

 juring swollen buds. The cuttings made from 

 the trimmings at this season are of a better qual- 

 ity for spring use, and the portion not used for 

 cuttings may be cut up in an ordinary straw cut- 

 ter and buried in the ground around the vines, 

 there to soften during winter and insure their 

 early decay in spring, furnishing such pabulum 

 as will, make fruit. We know by absolute exper- 

 iment that the same amount of inorganic mate- 

 rial, or indeed of inorganic or organic material 

 as is contained in the cuttings of grape vines as 

 ascertained by analysis, taken from other and 

 lower sources in nature, will not produce the 

 same amount of fruit as when derived from the 

 decayed cuttings themselves in the soil. Here 

 each constituent has assumed a form, and as a 

 consequence, a condition which is precisely such 

 as is wanted for fruit-making. We mean by this 

 that the same amount of potash and the same 

 amount of phosphates contained in a hundred 

 pounds of these grape cuttings, will not produce 

 one-tenth of the effect when applied to the vine 

 as a manure, as will the cuttings themselves. 

 For although these more crude applications of 

 phosphates and potash may increase the growth 

 of wood, they do not materially increase the 

 yield of fruit ; and it is for this reason that bones, 

 hide, blood of animals, and other manures con- 

 taining inorganic constituents from animal or 

 other progressed sources, are more valuable than 

 those of direct mineral origin. When grape vines 

 are trimmed in the spring, alongside of others 

 trimmed in the fall, the difference in the qua ity 

 and quantity of the fruit is quite perceptible. 

 Occasionally, indeed frequently, bleeding will oc- 

 cur with spring pruning or trimming, which tends, 

 to weaken 'the vine, and waste the pabulum take 

 from '^^ e soil by the roots. 



