330 - Grape -G rowing in Virginia. 



GRAPE-GROWING IN VIRGINIA. 



By H. R. RoBEY, Fredericksburg, Va. 



Having read so many communications in your valuable " Journal of Hor- 

 ticulture " upon the subject of grape-growing, and making of wine, coming 

 from various parts of the country, many of the correspondents claiming to 

 be in the most favorable latitude, and having the best soil, I have con- 

 cluded to write out my experience and observations in Eastern Virginia. 



We claim to have the soil and climate to grow the most vigorous vines 

 and superior grapes. We have no large bearing vineyards now : nearly all 

 were destroyed during the war. Every thing here is now in its infancy. 

 Any good corn-land here will produce good grapes : but the best is a 

 chocolate or brown loam ; and when fresh from the woods, all the better. 



In January, 1868, I cleared up four acres of land from the woods, re- 

 moved nearly all the stumps, and did not allow any of the trash or leaves 

 to be burnt; ploughed the land ten inches deep, and planted early potatoes 

 in rows four feet apart. 



In April, I planted Concord and Catawba grapes (in yearling plants) in 

 every alternate row, and eight feet in the step, using no manure. The pota- 

 toes were taken up in July. The vines made a growth of about six feet, 

 and some laterals. Last winter, I cut them down to two feet, and left 

 one eye to each lateral. This spring, they started vigorously. I allowed all 

 the branches to grow; and they have made from thirty to sixty feet of new 

 wood, notwithstanding we have had the greatest drought ever known. The 

 vines have now matured from ten to forty-five bunches of grapes, ready to 

 be cut, and made into wine. 



My trellis is made of heavy white-oak stakes, six feet and a half long, 

 sharpened, and driven eighteen inches into the ground ; making the trellis 

 five feet high. For slats, I use cedar-poles, halved, and nailed to the post. 

 The first slat 1 put two feet from the ground, one at the top, and one mid- 

 way. I prefer a low trellis, as the crop is more easily gathered. This trellis 

 presents a very rough appearance ; but it is strong. It requires eight hun- 

 dred stakes to the acre. I get them from my own woods ; and the cost for 

 getting the stakes and slats, and putting them up, is twelve dollars for an 



