Trailing Chain Culture of the Vine. 



231 



than grapes can be grown at 5 cts. per 

 lb., provided always the grape-grower 

 has the necessary capital to build cel- 

 lars, buy casks, sugar, etc. As long 

 as he has not, he had better sell his 

 grapes, and make the mone}^ out of 

 them to make wine the next year. 

 But our remarks have already be- 



come more extensive than our space 

 will warrant for this number. In oui 

 next issue we shall be happy to answei 

 the remarks of friend Engelmaui 

 about exj^orting wine, and also try t( 

 show which, in our opinion, are th( 

 ways and means to accomplish wha 

 we assert. Editqb. 



TEAILING CHAm CULTURE OF THE VINE. 



Forks. — As soon as the blooming season is 

 over, the vines are set on forks, which keep 

 them at a height of from 15 to 20 inclies, 

 using for this purpose short sticks, either 

 fork-shaped, or notched on the top. Three 

 or four are at first sntficient, but when tlie 

 fruits are nearing maturity, care Is taken to 

 supply as many as may be necessary to keep 

 the grapes from soiling or rotting. "While the 

 height mentioned answers this purpose, the 

 vines are yet low enough to insure perfect ma- 

 turity of the fruit, and superior bouquet to the 

 vine. The soil then acts as would a wall to 

 "espaliers." And it is chietly because the 

 trailing chain culture makes the soil an imme- 

 diate reflector of heat, that the wine obtained 

 from it is so highly prized. 



Fig 4— "Trough method" of Planting. 

 Planting.— The mode of planting most in 

 use, and which is called "trough planting," 

 consists in digging trenches twenty inches 



wide, and twenty-six inches long, (fig. 4) 

 Some use cuttings, with or without old wood 

 but preference is given to two-year old nur 

 sery plants, well supplied with fibrous roots 

 set about a foot deep. The cuttings, oriibrou 

 rootlets, are elbowed on the ground, raisei 

 up vertically, and the trench is filled up, bu 

 not packed hard. Some leave one, others tw 

 eyes above ground. 



Skillful vintners seem to agree that cuttings 

 properly chosen and carefully set in, are earlie 

 in vegetation, and more prolific in fruit thai 

 root plants. 



Cuttings obtained from the lower part of th 

 canes are said to be slower of growth thai 

 those taken higher up. 



Manuring. — As before stated, manure i 

 generally dispensed with, but where its use i 

 deemed necessary, this peculiar mode of cul 

 ture is specially fitted to receive the tibrou 

 organic manures which have been found t 

 augment so wonderfully the fruiting strengt 

 of the grapevine. 



The common farm manure may also be ap 

 plied, spreading it over the ground and plow 

 ing it in. But trench manuring is liere of s 

 easy application, that it is mostly resorted t( 

 Once in ten years is amply sufticient; the root 

 extending freely can feed from a vast are 

 without starving each other. Trenches ar 

 dug on one side of the row, at an average di? 



Fig. 5— Vine su)jported by two foi-ks iit blooming season. 



