246 THE GRAPE. 



perfectly, otherwise success will be uncertain. The practice is only 

 advised where a new variety is desired to be tested, as new vines 

 are almost always better than the patching up of old, neglected plants, 

 which have never been " cared for " either in branch or root. 



Transplanting and distances. In taking up the vines at one year's 

 growth from the cutting (which is best), care should be taken to 

 mutilate as little as possible, and also to keep the roots from expo- 

 sure to the sun, or drying air or winds. Cut back the growth of the 

 past year to two buds. Have the ground mellow, rich, dug deep ; 

 the hole broad ; spread the roots carefully and as naturally as they 

 grew ; after having pruned each end and bruised or broken rcot with 

 a sharp knife, fill in the earth carefully and finely until only th two 

 buds are visible, then avoid treading on it. The distance apart, if 

 making a vineyard plantation, depends on the variety. That for the 

 Catawba or Isabella, should be four by eight feet ; the Schuylkill 

 and Herbemont, five by seven feet ; the Missouri and Clinton, three 

 and a half by three feet. These two latter should be pruned low, 

 while the former varieties may rise seven to eight feet. These ex- 

 tents are for vineyard culture. Our native grapes, however, all do 

 better. and produce most when permitted to make long growths upon 

 high, extended trellises. Some vines trained in this way have pro- 

 duced nearly thirty bushels in a season. 



Cost per acre of Vineyard. The estimated cost of trenching, fur- 

 nishing cuttings, stakes, and planting an acre of vineyard, is not far 

 from two hundred dollars ; and at the expiration of three years it 

 may be estimated to yield, annually, about 200 gallons of wine, at a 

 cost, however, for dressing vines, pruning, gathering, &c., of about 

 seventy-five dollars ; leaving, therefore, about one hundred dollars a 

 year (supposing the wine to sell at one dollar a gallon), as the net 

 profit per acre. The quantity here estimated will, no doubt, be 

 thought low by many, but while it will often exceed this quantity, 

 seasons do occur when even less is the result ; and we. therefore, 

 stand on the safe side if we found our vineyard on this basis of ex- 

 pectation. 



Position and Soil. R. Buchanan, Esq., who has written a capital 

 treatise on the " Culture of the Grape," as well as practically trained 

 the vine, has the following on this point : 



" A hill side with southern aspect is preferred, although an east- 

 ern or a western exposure is nearly as good. Sojne have recom- 

 mended the north, on account of safety from late Spring frosts, but 

 it will scarcely afford sun enough to ripen the grapes in co!d, wet 

 seasons (if the declivity is steep), and may perhaps be more subject 

 to the * rot.' Any undulating surface, if dry, is preferable to a 

 level one. 



" The Soil best suited for a vineyard, is a dry calcareous loam, 

 with a porous sub-soil, not retentive of moisture; if mixed with 



