1872 The Western Pomologist and Gardener. 13 



linenartr antr Clarbm. 



GronrlUK Grape Vines on Trees—Vs Trellis or Stakes. 



Bt J. B. Gakbek, Columbia, Pa. 



Ed. Pomologist and Gardener; — I have often tliouglit that if we would, or could con- 

 veniently grow, or train our grape-vines up into and through the branches of trees, our sue 

 cess in growing good, healthy vines and grapes would be far more encouraging than to 

 train the vines on trellises or stakes as we are in the habit of doing. Time and again 

 have I seen vines that Iiad not been closely watched, had reached out an arm for support, 

 and had taken hold of some shrub or tree in close proximity, and then in a few years the 

 whole force of the plant would be directed to that arm. 'Tis true we would not get such 

 large specimen bunches, but wherever I have seen the vines running on trees, the fruit 

 was of a better quality, the vines healthier, less mildew, or other diseases, than when con- 

 fined on trellis or stakes. 



Some years since I had an Isabella vine trained to a frame some fifteen feet high, on 

 the gable end of the kitchen, a brick wall and an eastern exposure. The grapes generally 

 ripened quite well. The vine stood near the kitchen sink where wash from the kitchen kept 

 the roots connUmtly moist. A plum tree stood off from the wall about six feet, and as I 

 did not trim the plant very close a vine reached out and clung to the plum tree. The fol- 

 lowing season I observed this small shoot was showing fruit at every joint. In the fall I 

 was really surprised at the superior quality of the fruit, hanging temptingly in among the 

 branches of the plum tree. The curculio of course made use of all the plums, yet the 

 little turk did not meddle with the grapes. Might it not be a good idea to plant plum 

 or other small trees, and if we are not to have any plums, we might gather grapes ? 'Tis 

 true, "we may not gather figs from thistles," yet it is equally true we can gather grapes 

 from plum trees. 



Another instance of a monster Isabella vine some miles from here : — It had been 

 trained on a trellis ten feet high, but disdaining such artificial accommodations, a branch 

 had reached out its tendrils and taken hold of the limb of an apple tree, and all its ener- 

 gies appeared directed to that branch. When I saw it some six or seven years since, this 

 branch had run over three large apple trees, standing twenty feet apart, though the tops 

 reached together. This vine was then covering a good part of the three trees, and was 

 reaching out its feelers to take hold of the fourth tree. It was then covering a good part 

 of these trees with a mass of black clusters. The fruit and foliage of that part of the 

 vine still remaining on the trellis was quite imperfect in contrast to the healthy foliage 

 and luscious looking fruit on the trees. These elevated clusters, twenty to thirty feet high, 

 could not easily be secured, and the consequence was, the birds hand them all to them- 

 selves. 



I have a grafted vine of the Ta3'lor variety, now some twelve or fifteen years old. It had 

 been running through and over a wild plum tree, generally bearing a fair crop of healthy 

 clusters. As the plum tree never perfected any fruit, and was becoming a nuisance, from 



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