126 



THE FARM. 



IN THE VINEYARD. — FIG. 1. 



In the Vlneyai-d._We present herewith a brief illustrated article, from 

 the pen of a successful grape grower, giving some hints and suggestions on 

 the planting and culture of grape vines, which we think will be found inter- 

 esting: 



" I have been looldng over my former yeara' work, have been reading 

 back, or rather over again the views of others, and after studj-ing all I took 

 my spade and digging fork and went to an Isabella vine, planted some ten 



years or more since, and 

 which has never shown any 

 disease, but yearly ripened 

 its fruit regularly and 

 evenly. It was on clay 

 soil. I dug carefully all 

 around it a distance of four 

 feet each way from the 

 vine, or eight feet diam- 

 eter, took out a trench with 

 the spade, then A\-ith my 

 fork I commenced to shake 

 out roots, which I found 

 much as here represented 

 (Fig- 1). 



Of course the length of 

 the roots is not here shown, 

 for some I broke off in digging; but there was no direct tap root of any size, 

 and altogether the larger portion of the roots were within ten inches of the 

 surface. Small roots as large as a goose quill, it is true, Avero apparently 

 down below. Some of them pulled upon lifting the vine, others broke off, 

 but there was not a large or main root so situated. It may not be that this 

 is any guide showing the general habit of roots of the vine, when grown in 

 vineyards of clay soils and yearly pruned; but for the present I will so con- 

 sider it, and when I plant avoid, as I have generally heretofore, setting the 

 roots too deep. Most workers on the grape tell us that the roots must bo 

 planted deep, at least, they must have ten inches of soil over and above the 

 upper root of the plant; and ^^ 

 they tell us that if the plants 

 are too small for such pur- 

 pose, then we must excavate 

 a basin, set the plant, and as 

 it ^ows fill up around the 

 stem. The accompanying 

 figure shows this mode of 

 planting as I understand it 

 (Fig. 2). A straight line drawn across from the ends of the dotted Unc would 

 show the level of the gi-ouud; the dotted line the excavation, with the ])laut 

 having two eyes, and set in just deep enough to cover the lower eye or bud 

 with soU. The roots are shortened as here shown to about eighteen inches 

 in length and spread out regularly, setting the base of the main stem on a 

 little mound or rise, not a sharp cone, but a broad moiinjj. 



The next manner of planting, highly recommended ])y^ good cultiYator, I 

 have followed with good results. It ia to prepare the ground where this 

 plant is to stand by finely pulvcrizin;,' it, tlien excavate a breadth or circle 

 Bufficiently wide to admit of straightening out the entLre roots of the vine 



IX THE VINEY.Ull). — I'lO. 2. 



