POPULAR GARDENING. 



October, 



Fig. 1. Branch 



My next use— widely different— is in the 

 poultry house, where, especially in winter, 

 the fowls greatly enjoy picking them over, 

 and get much benefit from them. 



Another use of interest to the female por- 

 tion of popular gardeners, is for scouring 

 the knives. Of course the ashes are pre- 

 viously sifted through a fine hair sieve. My 

 wife says there is nothing better. , 



CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. { 



FOURTH PAPER. 1 



Management on the Latekal Cane Hoei- ' 

 zoNTAL Renewal Sv.stem. \ 



DR. J, STAYMAN, LEAVENWORTH CO., KAN. 



Soon after the bearing shoots have been 

 pinched ofl" laterals will start out from their 

 axils, and these must be 

 pinched off just beyond 

 the first leaf as soon as 

 they show the second leaf. 

 At A in Fig. 1 we illustrate 

 the first pinching of the 

 leader, and at B the sec- 

 ond pinching. In a short 

 time after this other shoots 

 will start from the axils 

 of the last leaves. They 

 must al.so be pinched off 

 as before to one leaf, as 

 seen at C. If the canes 

 start with too much vigor, 

 and are likely to rot the 

 vines and fruit, they may be pinched again; 

 but if not they may remain as seen at D, 

 which shows the shoots growing with nat- 

 ural vigor without being stopped again. 



This pinching is so necessary and import- 

 ant that we cannot too deeply and forcibly 

 impress it upon our readers, but it should 

 be carefully and thoroughly done each time 

 only upon the strong growing shoots, the 

 weaker ones either to be left alone or rubbed 

 off. The object of pinching off the shoots 

 just beyond the last bunch, and the laterals 

 to but one leaf each time, is to immediately 

 enlarge the remaining leaves nearest the 

 Grapes. By this close and timely pinching 

 we force out laterals at once, with additional 

 leaves which would have perhaps remained 

 dormant, at the most important time and at 

 the most desirable places. Consequently 

 we concentrate the energy and vigor of the 

 vine in building up the stock and fruit. 



Should we extend the length of growth to 

 the second or third leaf or beyond them, we 

 would concentrate this energy to far beyond 

 the fruit and stock where we de not want it, 

 and to be again cut away in pruning. There- 

 fore it would only be a waste of vitality and 

 a violation of our fundamental principles. 



The two shoots which are turned up from 

 the spurs for fruiting the next season being 

 also forced iuto lateral canes, and all suck- 

 ers being removed, the vines will be stocky, 

 firm and well matured, and prepared to 

 withstand the changes of the season, conse- 

 quently be more healthy, hardy and produc- 

 tive. These objects are thus accomplished 

 with the least waste of vitality, and in har- 

 mony with the laws of growth and the char- 

 acter of the vine. 



The ground should be well cultivated 

 throughout each seascm, and kept clean of 

 weeds as before stated. The surface leaves 

 should be cut oft and kept off by deep plow- 

 ing or they will soon take all the strength 

 from the lower roots, so that the vine would 

 suffer in dry weather. 



In the fall of the third year your vines 

 will have the appearance of the lower Fig. 

 on page 2.54 of last volume. They may then 

 be pruned as shown by the cross marks, 

 which indicate the right point forsuch prun- 

 ing. The two horizontal arms on the lower 

 wire which had fruit on, should be cut clear 

 away, leaving but two spurs of two buds each, 

 as shown by the marks in same figure. 



The two center canes on the upper wire 

 should be brought down to the lower wire 

 to take the place of those just cut away, and 

 firmly tied there for fruiting the coming 

 season. If the canes are long enough they 

 should be cut so they will lap on the next 

 arm from the adjoining vine so one tie will 

 answer for both. When pruned and tied 

 they will have the appearance of Fig. 2, with 

 two bearing horizontal arms and two spurs 

 of two buds each, having about 30 bearing 

 buds which should produce about BO bunches 

 of Grapes to a vine the fourth year. The 

 treatment of the vine this fourth year 

 should be precisely as directed for third 

 year, but if properly treated they will in- 

 crease in strength and vigor, requiring 



with their clusters of Grapes from a hori- 

 zontal cane supported by the branch of a 

 tree. 



o/ Grape Vine stwwinfi gradual cnJaryiny of the hanging 

 during the Season. 



I longer pruning, so they will bear more fruit 

 to keep them within subjection. The vines 

 in subsequent years should be pruned and 

 j trained in the same manner, giving them 

 , more bearing wood each year until they be- 

 come too strong and require more room. 



It will be remembered that we only gave 

 8 feet as the distance apart for strong grow- 

 ing varieties, consequently we can only train 

 ! our arms four feet long each until they 

 I meet:— If we increase the number of arms 

 j to our vines and place two on the top vine 

 ) we violate an inipor'ant principle and give 

 ourselves extra work to equalize the sap 

 and keep the vines in subjection. 



This upward tendency of the sap cannot 

 be counteracted except by training a vine 

 upon a horizontal plane. That is the natural 

 system and the only one adapted to the vine. 

 , Fuller m his Grape ;Culturist says " That 

 I while the vine grows upright it produces its 

 i most vigorous growth of wood, but its fruit 

 producing powers are not fully developed 

 until it takes a horizontal position." While 

 he admits this as a principle he violates it 

 in i)ractice, for he trains all the bearing and 

 renewing canes upright, and then says re- 

 , specting them. " If the young canes are 

 allowed to grow unchecked, the lower bud 

 upon them will seldom become suflticiently 

 developed t(j produce a vigorous fruit- rh 

 ing cane the succeeding year. That it 

 should be so devel.ped is all important 

 when vines are trained with horizontal 

 arms and spur pruned, and in no way 

 can this be accomplished except by 

 checking the growth while growing." 



That is as much as to say that the 

 buds are not equally developed on an 

 upright cane because of its position, 

 therefore we must check their growth 

 to develop them. Then why are they 

 trained upright in violation of a well 

 known and admitted law of growth ? 

 Simply to carry out a fancy system of 

 training, which on paper may appear 

 plausil)le, but in a vineyard is entirely im- 

 practicable. We want no such system, and 

 the nature and character of the vine does 

 not require it. 



What an outrage it would be upon nature 

 to see all the bearing canes of a wild vine 

 standing upright fastened to the limb of a 

 tree! Now see the beauty and simplicity of 



?ro wth 



Strawberries in Indiana. 



BY GRANVILLE COWING, DELAWARE CO.. IND. 



The Strawberry crop in this region was 

 much better than an average one this sea- 

 son, but the weather was excessively moist 

 when it ripened, and it was marketed under 

 very unfavorable circumstances. All varie- 

 ties produced unusually large berries— Cres- 

 cents in size equaling those of Cumberland, 

 grown in an ordinary season. Of new vari- 

 eties I had none as large, handsome and 

 productive as Bubach and Logan. The ber- 

 ries of the latter do not average as large as 

 Bubach, but many of them 

 are as large, shapely and 

 handsome as those of any 

 variety, and are of excel- 

 lent flavor. In size and 

 beauty the berries of .Jersey 

 Queen stood next to Bubach 

 and Logan, but in product- 

 iveness it is far surpassed 

 by them. All three are 

 strong growers, and free 

 from blight. Jessie was not 

 sufficiently productive on 

 my soil, but did well only 

 two miles away. But few 

 of its berries were above 

 medium size, and Crescent produced many- 

 fold more fruit. 



Warfield also disappointed me as its ber- 

 ries did not average as large as those of Cres- 

 cent, nor was it remarkably productive. Its 

 berries were firm but not of good flavor. 

 But I notice many favorable reports of it 

 this season, from all parts of the country. 

 Haverland I liked much better, is product- 

 ive, its fruit smooth, sweet and shapely, and 

 above medium size, but possibly not firm 

 enough for long shipment. The berries of 

 Haverland and Pearl closely resemble each 

 other, but in other respects they greatly dif- 

 fer, Pearl inclining to blight, while Haver- 

 land is remarkable for health and vigor. 



Gaudy is a late variety of the Grendale 

 type. Berries firm, late, tart, and occasion- 

 ally above medium size. As a late variety 

 it did not prove as desirable as Kentucky, 

 which appeared to have renewed its youth 

 this season. Mammoth rusted badly and 

 produced but few berries. 



The berries of Gold were large, handsome, 

 and of the best fiavor, but not produced in 

 sufficient abundance. Cloud is a strong 

 grower but its berries are too small and soft 

 to make it desirable. It averaged about 

 half the size of Crescent. 

 Ohio again proved very unsatisfactory. I 



. a. 



Pig. 2. Three year old Vine itruned wi(h two bear- 

 iny Cane» and two Spurs with two Bud.-! each, 

 ready tied to the trellis. 



nature, the young shoots hanging gracefully 



was represented as being much like Ken- 

 tucky, but much better. In every way, ex- 

 cept habit of growth, it is much inferior. 

 Cumberland blighted badly last year, but 

 this season was in every way perfect. Jer- 

 sey Queen was also superb. It requires the 

 best treatment to make it profitable. 



Plants of p:ureka, Mrs. Cleveland, and 

 Ohio Centennial were sent to me liy mail, last 

 spring, by Mr. Townshend, their originator, 

 to be tested. They aie all renuirkably strong 

 healthy growers, and a plant each of Mrs. 



