THE GRAPE IN KANSAS. 103 



THE VINEYARD FROM THE PLANTING TO THE TRELLIS. 



In planting grape-vines, the variety governs the distance apart. I will speak 

 of the Worden and Concord, two of the best well-known black grapes. I plant 

 them in rows eight feet apart, and twelve feet apart in the rows. 



The preparation of the soil should be deep and thorough. Set the rooted 

 vines down to the last bud. Prune them back to about four buds on the canes 

 made while they were being rooted. If the soil is rich, and a rank growth of 

 vine is expected the first year, let only two canes grow ; if soil is poor and a 

 feeble growth is expected, let only one cane grow. 



Supply each vine with a stake seven feet tall. As soon as the vine starts 

 climbing tie it to the stake, rubbing off all side shoots or laterals; tie up and 

 prune after. Keep the vine climbing straight up the pole and allow no growth 

 wasted in surplus laterals. 



Cultivation should commence early and be thorough. A single section of a 

 fifty-tooth, steel-frame harrow, using one horse, is a very convenient and suitable 

 outfit with which to keep the surface in good condition and surplus vegetation 

 in check. Some hoeing may have to be done to destroy such strong-rooted weeds 

 as the harrow will not tear up. Some weeding in the hill also will be neces- 

 sary. About the middle of June, if you like, plant the ground to cow-peas, the 

 Whippoorwill being my favorite, on account of its bunchy habit of growth. Keep 

 the harrow going just the same, at least once a week through the rows both ways. 

 There is a short period of time, all pea growers know, that it will not do to har- 

 row them, and this is from the time they first come up until the third leaf ap- 

 pears. When the vines get too rank for the harrow it is time to stop cultivation. 

 When the peas ripen they can be hand-picked and saved for seed. The vines can 

 be left on the ground and serve a splendid purpose as mulch to prevent the win- 

 ter rains from robbing the surface soil of the fertility brought there by the peas 

 and the thorough cultivation. The grape-vines can go into winter just as they 

 are. I had rather prune as eoon in the early part of winter as practicable; say 

 as soon as the wood is fully ripe. This pruning is simply cutting the canes back 

 to within two feet of the ground. 



The Second Season. Whether a trellis should be put up now or let the vines 

 run on the stakes, depends on the richness of the soil and the growth the 

 vines are likely to make. Be that as it may, they will only yield about ten to 

 thirty bunches of grapes near the ground. If left on the stakes, cultivation can 

 be more thorough, as we can go both ways again. I favor the stake plan for 

 this year, letting from four to six canes grow, pruning and tying up as before. 

 Rag strings will serve for tying ; they are soft and do not cut the canes. The 

 curl of the vines will soon catch and help support them. I have Concord vines 

 now at this stage, the year's growth measuring twenty feet. Think of what a 

 wire trellis they will cover ; twelve feet apart is none too far. I will use three 

 No. 11 smooth wires, the top one eight feet from the ground, the bottom one two 

 feet. This leaves me seventy-two square feet of trellis for each vine, besides the 

 twenty-four inches below the first wire, which is often used by the vines that 

 yield grapes. A vine like this will produce the third year from twenty-five to 

 fifty pounds of grapes, at five cents per pound. In the former estimate my 300 

 vines would yield me $375, and in the latter $750. The land they occupy is much 

 less than an acre. E. W. Geer, Farming ton, Mo. 



