GEAPE MANUAL 



19 



which you are planting, however strong the 

 tops, or however stout and wiry the roots may 

 be. One cane is sufficient to grow, and merely 

 to be prepared for possible accident, both buds 

 are allowed to start. The weaker of the two 

 shoots may afterwards be removed or pinched 

 back. 



When planted in the fall, raise a small mound 

 around your vine, so that the water will drain 

 off, and throw a handful of straw or any other 

 mulch on the top of the mound, to protect it ; 

 but do not cove* the vine with manure, either 

 decomposed or fresh, under any circumstances. 



It is a well authenticated fact that, under the 

 action of nitrogenous agents, the grape grows 

 more luxuriant, its leaves are larger, its pro- 

 duct increases in quantity. But the products 

 of vineyards so manured have an acknowledged 

 defect they impart to the wine a flavor which 

 recalls the kind of manure applied. Moreover, 

 nitrogenous substances exclusively used hasten 

 the decay of vineyards and the exhaustion of the 

 soil. 



We use no manures in our vineyards, except 

 the ashes of the stumps and brush, which we 

 burn on the spot in clearing, and the decom- 

 posed leaves of the forest, which we have to 

 turn under in plowing our grounds. Other 

 soils may require manures, and ours may, in 

 later years. But even those authorities who fa- 

 vor manures in preparing certain grounds, or 

 long after planting, do not allow any decompos- 

 ing organic matter to come in contact with the 

 newly planted vine.* 



During the first summer, little else can be 

 done than to keep the ground mellow, loose 

 about the plants and free from weeds ; stirring 

 the ground, especially in dry weather, is the 

 best stimulant, far better than liquid manure, 

 and mulching (spreading over the ground a 

 layer of tan-bark, sawdust, straw, salt, hay, or 

 the like, to maintain a more uniform state of 

 temperature and moisture for the roots) is far 



* The experiments made in France during the years 

 1872, 1873 and 1874, with different methods of treating 

 vines diseased by Phylloxera, led to the conclusion that 

 manures especially thosw rich in potash and nitrogenous 

 substances, benefit the affected vines. Squares thus 

 treated, which were benefited in Is72 and 1873, have, in 

 1374, in some cases almost returned to their original vig- 

 or, but the Phylloxera has not disappeared. And the 

 ministerial commission, reporting on these experiments 

 believed itself justified In asserting that manures, rich 

 in potash and nitrogen, mixed with alkaline or earthy 

 sulphates, refuse of salt-works, soot, wood ashes, ammo- 

 nia, or fat lime, have increased the productiveness of the 

 vines and allowed the fruit to ripen. Prof. Af. Roessler 

 of Klosternenburg. Austria, believes in fighting the in- 

 sect with manure and phosphates, ammonia and potash. 

 This treatment succeeds in porous soils, and to obtain 

 this porosity the learned CEnologue made use of dyna- 

 mite, raising the ground thus from a great depth, with- 

 out injuring the vines. 



better than watering. Do not tie your young 

 vines up, do not pinch off the laterals ; by allow- 

 ing them to lie on the ground, during the first 

 season, more vigorous stems will be obtained. 

 A fair growth is about four feet the first sum- 

 mer. In the fall, after the foliage is all off, cut 

 back to two or three buds. Cover the short cane 

 left with a few inches earth before the ground 

 freezes. 



During the following winter, the TRELLIS 

 should be built. The plan adopted by most of 

 our experienced grape growers, as possessing 

 some advantages over other plans, especially if 

 grapes are grown in large quantities, is as fol- 

 lows : Posts of some durable timber (red cedar 

 is best) are split 3 inches thick and about 7 feet 

 long, so as to be 5 feet in height after being set; 

 these posts are set in holes two feet deep, 16 to 

 18 feet apart in the rows (so that either 2 vines 

 8 feet apart, or 3 vines 6 feet apart, are between 

 two stakes), three wires are then stretched hor- 

 izontally along the posts, being fastened to each 

 post with a staple f), which is driven in so firmly 

 that the wire is prevented from slipping through. 

 The two end posts should be larger than the 

 others and braced (Fig. 20), so that the contrac- 



Fig. 20. (Four wires, 15 inches apart.) 



tion of the wire (in cold weather) will not 

 loosen them. The first wire is placed about 18 

 inches from the ground and the others 18 inches 

 apart ; this brings the upper wire about 4 feet 6 

 inches from the ground. The size of wire used 

 is No. 10 annealed iron; but No. 12 wire is 

 strong enough. At the present prices of wire 

 the cost per acre will be from $40 to $60, ac- 

 cording to distance of rows and number of wires 

 used. 

 No 12 is the size most commonly used. 



The Ludlow Saylor Wire Company, St. Louis, 

 furnish us the following table, which may serve 

 in calculating the cost: 



