138 HOME FRUIT GROWER 



Reject the idea that it is hard to manage. It is not ! Such a 

 misconception is due to the literature on its commercial culture. To be 

 commercially profitable it must have this and that, be managed 

 thus and so, or the grower will not build a big bank balance thereby. 

 To have an ample family supply we don't need to follow commercial 

 practices if we don't want to. Even the marplot and the blunderer 

 are almost powerless to prevent the more determined varieties from 

 bearing their burden of fruit. Instead of trellises we may train the 

 vines on stakes, on arbors (Fig. 96) , on lattice screens, on fences, on 

 the sides of buildings and even on trees if we wish. Who and what are 

 to prevent? Mr. Rusiness Vineyardist or Mrs. Grundy? To be 

 sure we may not always get exhibition specimens or perhaps quite 

 as good fruit by some of these crude practices, but if such considerations 

 are to deter us what fruit of any kind shall we get ? 

 $J| The Grape does well on well-drained soils of any kind, though 

 for most varieties soils with large proportions of clay give better 

 results than those in which sand predominates. Always the situation 

 should be such that the vines have full sunlight during at least half the 

 day. If the soil is poor a hole as deep as a nail keg and as wide as a 

 wash tub may be dug out, or preferably, a trench four or five feet 

 wide and two feet deep prepared by removing the earth, providing 

 drainage, dumping in a bucket full of old bones for each vine the 

 more the merrier covering these with good earth and planting the 

 vines. 



Two-year vines are preferred by most planters because these 

 uniformly give better results than older ones. Well-grown one-year 

 vines are also good. There's no need to pay "fancy prices" for vines. 

 In the price list of one of the leading Grape nurseries only one out of 

 nearly seventy, standard varieties costs over 30 cents, and only five 

 that much; whereas 20 cost 15 cents, or less, for two-year-old vines. 

 Whether set in FaU'or Spring is immaterial in most parts of the country. 

 In the former case the vines should not be cut back until Spring; 

 in the latter the tops/should be reduced to three or four buds. Most 

 planters shorten t;he roots. I don't, unless they are injured or dry, 

 because I want them to reach the bottom as well as spread out 

 well r in the. hole. Of course it costs more in time and effort to plant 

 them,, but for atiLamateur vineyard I'd rather waste a little extra 

 elbow grease than impair my chances of having the vines root deeply. 

 Some men also recommend a mulch the "first yeai or two. I don't, 

 because that encourages shallow rooting. The deeper the roots can 

 be made to extend the surer will the vines be to have a good supply 

 of water. Clean, shallow cultivation will keep down the weeds and 

 prevent undue loss of moisture. When the vines begin to bear heavily 



