51 



GRAPES. 



Many are deterred from setting this luscious and healthy fruit by reading long; intri- 

 cate and utterly useless instructions by many amateurs. We affirm that any soil that 

 teof a dryish nature, and that will grow goodor m. or potatoes, is good enough for Grape*. 



STAKE PLAN. 



Set the roots six feet apart each way, setting a stake six feet high by each root. 

 Cut back to two eyes, and as they grow, trim them up to the stakes. If in localities 

 where they are apt to be damaged by winter, take them down and cover them with 

 earth or any coarse litter. Late in spring take them up and cut back to about three 

 feet in height, and tie them up to the stakes. Allow two new vines to grow out near 

 the surface, and in the fall cut out the old vines and the next spring train up the new 

 vines to the stake, cutting them back so that they will be just as high as the stake ; or 

 the old vine can be trained up for two or three years and new shoots cut off, until they 

 get too large to handle well, .when they can be cut off and new vines trained up that 

 nave been allowed to grow the previous season. When the yearly renewal system is 

 practiced, it is a good plan to have two stakes, set a foot apart, training the old fruiting 

 vines to one, and the new vines as they grow to the other. 



ARBOR PLAN. 



So numerous have been the descriptions of modes and plans for training the grape, 

 that I fear upon reading the caption of this article, you will be more likely to consign 

 it to the waste basket than to give it a place in your journal. Yet, like a child that is 

 pleased with a new toy, and would fain be thrusting it into everybody's face for admi- 

 ration, I must needs risk a rebuff by essaying a description of what I conceive to be 

 the least expensive, yet equally efficient mode of managing the matter, which can be 

 adopted. Having concluded to set out a square of vines this fall, I was casting about 

 in my mind as to the cheapest and best plan of arrangement. I had considered all the 

 plans which had come under my observation, when the following occurred to me as 

 the best plan I conld adopt. After a thorough preparation of the ground, as my own 

 experience and the various directions found in The Country Gentleman had indicated, 

 I began thus : in the firet place I stretched a line north and south on one side of the 

 square at a distance of two feet from the outer edge; at each end I drove a stake; 

 from these I measured off a distance of twelve feet and there put another stake. I 

 then measured three feet from the last stake and placed a stake there. Then twelve 

 feet to the next, and so until all the rows were marked off with three feet alleys be- 

 tween each. You will perceive by this that my square was laid off in rows of twelve 

 feet with alleys of three feet between them. I now proceed to lay off the spots for 

 each vine, a distance of four feet in the row. Perhaps three would answer for such 

 as are not rank growers ; mine is Concord. The vines thus planted will be allowed to 

 grow until ready for training. And now for the trellis. In the centre of each row I 

 shall plant a stout locust fork about ten feet high, and the same at intervals of about 

 twelve feet from the front (south) to the back end of the row (nort 1 ' "V Upon these 

 forks I shall lay poles of convenient size to form a ridge-pole. I now place ordinary 

 poles such as are used for Lima beans, against the ridge-pole at each vine, fixing the 

 lower end in the ground and tying the upper end to the ridge-pole with willow, to 

 prevent its being blown down. To these poles the vines will be tied up as they grow 

 until they reach the top, when those intended for the next year's fruiting can range at 

 wilL In pruning I shall cut down every other one to one bud, so that but one-half of 

 the vines will be in bearing each year, thus preventing that entanglement and crowding 

 which occurs where two canes are allowed to grow from one root or stalk. When in 

 the full bearing state, the appearance will somewhat resemble a row of tents, with the 

 sides of vines instead of canvas. The alleys between each row will afford space for 

 working the vines and gathering the fruit. In short, it will be nothing more than the 

 Dlan ofmanaging grapes under glass, except that the poles which represent the rafters 

 will be on the outside of the house. I. G. Mask. 



Moobefield. W. Va. [Oountrv Gentleman. , 



