THE GENESEE FARMEE. 



323 



Inquiries and Answers. 



"'!'%>z Vines — Undbrdraining — Training. — The in- 

 inlerest manifested in the raising of grapes and 

 tivatioii of the vine in this country, I hope will be 

 a sutficient excuse for my asking the editor, or 

 t if the numerous correspondents of the Genesee 

 two or three simple questions upon the subject 

 culture, treatment, &c. And though at first it 

 seem to be asking too much, simply for the gratifi- 

 or instruction of one subscriber, j^et the under- 

 is inclined to think that the information is just 

 lany other readers of the Farmer would be glad to 

 as nearly every individual at this day, who has a 

 "arm, or ])atch of ground, though only large enough 

 ;irden, either has his vines, or contemplates their 

 tiou at no very distant day. 



11 the essays and instructions, coming under the 

 of the undersigned, on the preparation of the soil 

 grape, nmch stress seems to belaid upon the neces- 

 draining, as if no soil was suitable for the cultiva- 

 the vine unless thoroughly drained. Now if the 

 8 wet, or the soil naturally heavy, no one would 

 but what draining would be indispensible. But 

 e I have a farm, or a garden, for instance, with a 

 ravelly loam soil resting upon a bed, at the depth 

 and a half or three feet, of what is usually termed 

 an, with a mixture of stone and gravel, and on the 

 3 of which water never stands except for a few mo- 

 after hard and heavy rains. In such case, would 

 ge be necessary? Then suppose I have a border 

 ! edge of my garden, with such a soil as described 

 where I wisu to set a fiiw vines of some of the 

 st varieties, at the distance of eighteen feet apart, 

 I prepare the soil artificially before setting, and 

 set under these circumstances, how should tney be 

 d, and how trained ? 



ive an leabella growing, that, at the age of four or 

 ears, after being well rooted, was laid down in a 

 1 extending each way from the parent root, and cov- 

 *o as to leave the tips out, forming canes at the dis- 

 of twelve or fourteen inches from each other. Now 

 h to know how these should be trimmed and how 

 d, with a view to the health of the vine and the real- 

 1 of its fruits ? 



se interrogatories have been suggested, Messrs. 



rs, from the fact that it has seemed to the under- 



d, though perhaps erroneously, that nearly all those 



have recently written on the subject, start upon the 



asition that your land is cold and wet, and that you 



ultivating for a vinejai'd. Hence I have no doubt 



lilt the information sought, would be interesting to a 



.share of your subscribers, who unfortunately are 



elled to take rank among those who have been denom- 



i " greasy mechanics and small fisted farmers." — 



Pbrrt, Collins Ceiiire, N. Y., Sept. 12th, 1859. 



B, correspondent's inquiries are pertinent, and such 



iterest a large class of the community, as grape- 



ing is becoming an extensive and valuable branch 



e horticultural interest of the country, and too much 



ition can not be paid to the various operations which 



equisite to the production of this fine fruit. 



le soil, mentioned above, is the best which can be 



;ted for growing the grape, and without underdrain- 



such soils, if otherwise well dressed and cultivated, 



yield generous crops of grapes; and we should not 



tate to plant large vineyards on such soil, and expect 



itable returns; but, there are few soils, that are so 



irally dry and warm as to render underdraining unnec- 



ry. Land well underdrained is much earlier in the 



ng, which is a quality that can not be too highly prized 



ur northern climate, whore the summers are never too 



; for the perfect maturation of the grape. The quality 



he fruit and the wine is also greatly superior when 



iuced on warm dry soils. This difiFerenoe is so greet, 



;, in France, experienced vintners can decide, from 



flavor of the wines, at what altitudes ihe grapes from 



oh tiiey have been made were grown. 



The mode of training grape vines, which those who 

 have had most experience coincide in adopting and rec- 

 ommending in this climate, is that now well known as the 

 renewal system, and which we have illustrated in the early 

 numbers of the Farmer this year, and in the Rural 

 Annual of 1858. 



Osage Okangb Hedge— Irish Potatoes. — (Mrs. Emilt 

 J. Grover, Richmond.) The plan of growing Osage 

 Orange hedges is briefly this : — Assuming that the soil 

 where the hedge is to stand has been previously well 

 manured and deeply pulverized, the plants, having been 

 shortened at both ends, so that the roots are not more 

 than five or six inches in length, and the tops about an 

 inch, should be planted with a dibble or spade, from four 

 to six inches apart along a straight line. The first and 

 second summers the only attention necessary will be to 

 hoe frequently and keep entirely free from weeds. In the 

 spring of the third year, or the second spring after plant- 

 ing, cut down every plant even with the surface of the 

 ground, which will cause a number of shoots to start out 

 directly from the root of the plants. About the latter 

 part of June of this season, the hedge should be cut the 

 second time, from four to six inches above the surface of 

 the ground; and in the following spring cut it from one 

 and a half to two feet high, varying somewhat with its 

 thickness. In June of this year, clip it into its final form, 

 which should be pyramidal, or with a wide base tapering 

 gradually to the top. Should it be desirable to increase 

 the height or width after this, it can readily be done at the 

 season of clipping. 



We can recommend, as an excellent and productive 

 potato, the English Fluke. We are not acquainted with 

 the White Foxite. 



Propagation op Flowering Shrubs. — (Lucy A. Man- 

 ning, Danby, Vt.) The double-flowering Almond is usu- 

 ally budded on the stalk of the common Almond or Peach. 

 Poeonies are readily grown from seed, but it will be found 

 difficult to produce such as are of any value in this way. 

 Honeysuckles may be grown by laj-ers or cuttings. Run- 

 ing Roses you may be able to root from cuttings, in the 

 summer, after the wood is partially hardened, by placing 

 them under bell-glasses; but they will require much care, 

 and you will probably make many failues before you suc- 

 ceed. The cuttings should be made from four to six inches 

 in length, being cut to a bud at their base, and with the 

 leaves attached at the upper ends. Plant them in pots or 

 boxes, or even in the ground, where the convenience of 

 shade may be had, and cover with a bell-glass. Sprinkle 

 or syringe them every evening, and do not admit the sun 

 to shine upon them until they are rooted, when they may 

 be gradually exposed. 



We have sent you a catalogue of one of our leading 

 nurseries, in which you will find such other information 

 as you ask for. 



Catawba Grape in Iowa. — (M. Thomas, Kossuth, Iowa.) 

 The Catawba grape can be grown and ripened in your 

 locality, though it will seldom be in such perfection as it 

 attains in a more southern climate. It will be well to 

 give it a trial. The Isabella will ripen more perfectly with 

 you ; and|we would also recommend Concord, Diana, Del' 

 aware, Bebecca, and Ilartford Prolific. 



Ik there any cure for ring-bone on horse's feet J — L. P., 

 Delaware Go^ Jud. 



