The Grape Culturist. 



cing' at the former, gradually, during 

 the time, increasing to the latter; 

 when the process of change in the 

 cambium will move a little faster, so 

 that not unfrequently the points of 



the roots will have begun to show 

 themselves through the epidermis, 

 and around the base of the cutting, 

 when they are taken out for planting. 

 To he continued. B. 



THE SCUPPEENONG GEAPE AGAIN. 



The following communication is 

 from "E. M. W.," Craven Co., K C, 

 and we are glad to^ hear about the 

 ScuppernoDg from one who apparent- 

 ly knows something about it. The 

 statement made in our article publish- 

 ed in E"bvember, that "the fruit is said 

 to be produced on spurs two or more 

 years old," was made with great mis- 

 givings. We could not understand it, 

 but as the point was made by several 

 Southern writers we put it guardedly 

 — "is said." Mr. Yan Buren, in his 

 pamphlet upon this grape, repeats the 

 statement in almost the same words. 

 Mr. E. M. W. says : 



"My knowledge of that vine and its 

 seedlings is derived from an intimate 

 acquaintance with mj^ vinej'ard of 56 

 acres, planted exclusively with the 

 Scuppernong (white) and the Thomas, 

 Elowers, and Mish seedlings (black or 

 purple). 



"It is true that "the fruit of these 

 vines drops from the cluster when 

 ripe,' that is, thoroughly ripe, at which 

 period the berry is very tender and 

 juicy, with thin, soft skin, while its 

 stem has become quite brown and 

 slightly shrunken. 



" 'The fruit is said to be produced 

 on spurs two or more years old, and 

 mot, as is the case with other varieties, 

 apon shoots of the current season.' 



It is hard to concieve how any one at 

 all acquainted with the fruiting habit 

 of the vine could have committed such 

 a mistake. The fruit is invariably 

 borne upon shoots, though these shoots 

 are frequentl}' quite short and grown 

 from short canes — due, I think, to the 

 immense amount of wood carried by 

 an unpruned vine, six, eight or more 

 years old. I practice both summer 

 and winter pruning on my vines with 

 entire success, and ^that the vine is 

 not shortened in by pruning' general- 

 ly, 'but allowed to spread over a large 

 space,' is due firstly to the fact that 

 the health of the vine does not seem 

 to suffer thereby, and secondlj' to the 

 prevailing notion that summer prun- 

 ing will kill the vine. This opiriion 

 had its rise in the days when men 

 thought an empt}^ whiskej', vinegar, 

 or molasses barrel a good enough ves- 

 sel for the must ; their smoke-house or 

 corn-crib an excellent place to keep 

 wine ; and when sugar in large qiian- 

 tities, whiskey or brandy, was neces- 

 sary, to prevent acetic fermentation. 



"So far noth as Hammondsport, N. 

 Y., I doubt not that the must was de- 

 ficient in sugar. Indeed, I think with 

 you that the Potomac Eiver is the 

 northern boundarj^ of its successful, 

 certainly its profitable, culture. But 

 here, in Eastern Carolina, the must of 



