TO 
April, 1890. 
April Operations. 
Tines that have not yet been pruned 
should be attended to at once, even though 
they may bleed badly. We knew an expe- 
rienced and successful grape-grower who 
had a hobby to wait until about the time 
the vines commenced to bleed and then to 
prune them ; often before he would get 
through they would bleed quite freely, yet 
there never appeared any ill effects from it. 
We do not. however, sanction such a prac- 
tice. as it leads to carelessness and negli- 
gence : grape-growers should he always 
ahead of time. 
Vines mat be planted just as soon as the 
ground is in good order. As a general rule, 
the sooner it is done the stronger the vines 
will grow. The best vines for a vineyard 
are strong, one year, or good; two years 
old. Those grown from single eyes aie 
generally the best, and those from long- 
jointed cuttings the poorest. The roots 
shotUd be shortened in to about six inches 
and then they will send out numerous new 
roots, and these make stronger foot-roots, 
which, after all. is the sine qua non of a 
good, enduring vine. Dig the holes large 
and deep ; better trench them and put fer- 
tilizers in the bottom if the soil is clayey 
and retentive, but if the soil is sandy and 
leachy it will be better to put the fertilizers 
on the top daring the growing season of 
April. May and June. In the maturing 
season of July, August and September, the 
vines should not be stimulated into growth, 
as it is antagonistic to the production and 
perfection of the fruit. We plant deeply, 
as we have no faith in shallow set vines, 
which are too easily affected by every 
change of the weather and soon become 
worthless. But it should be remembered 
that the Labrusca class, such as the Con- 
cord, etc., cannot be made to root deeply 
except by stimulating the foot roots and 
keeping off the surface roots. Otherwise it 
makes no difference how deeply we set the 
vines, the foot roots will cease to grow, and 
if we cut off the surface roots the lower 
roots will turn and come up to the surface 
to seek nourishment. The jEstivalis class 
have not that tendency, but grow down 
and root deeply. 
Newly-set vines should be cut back to two 
buds and both allowed to grow. The second 
year prune to four buds, let them all grow 
and tie to stakes or trellis. The third year, 
prune to two canes, each about two feet 
long. Fourth year, prune to two canes, 
each about four feet long. In subsequent 
years prune about the same length. Train 
the canes horizontally each way on the 
trellis, or on the bow or fan system on two 
wires. Never train a vine with two sets of 
arms, the one set tied above the other 
Uncover and take up all tender vines that 
were put down for winter protection before 
the buds swell or many of the best will be 
broken off. Tie the canes to the trellis be- 
fore the buds start, so the -work can be done 
then much quicker, better and without in- 
jury. Clean up and be ready to plow the 
vineyard as soon as the ground is in tillable 
condition. Take a one-horse Sharp diamond 
plow and throw the soil first from the vines, 
hoe up underneath them, and as soon as the 
weeds start, plow again and return the soil 
to the vines. In all after culture use a cul- 
tivator and keep the ground level. Never 
plow or work in a vineyard when the ground 
is wet. 
Cuttings should be set out in rich soil in a 
trench made for them, pack the soil firmly 
by tramping it in the bottom, fill up to the 
upper buds. Those in the propagating bed 
should be ventilated night and day to harden 
them for transplanting. We never pot 
vines. Select a cloudy day and take them 
out of the sand and set out in open ground 
when all danger of frost is over (here about 
the 10th of May), the ground having been 
previously prepared and settled by a rain. 
Then plant them with a line and spade as 
we set out strawberry plants, thrusting the 
spade down and pushing it forward to make 
a space behind; an assistant places the roots 
down and holds the plants in position until 
the spade is withdrawn and pushed in again 
close to the plant and the soil pressed firmly 
against it. — J. Stayman, M. D. 
Tlie Ornamental and Useful in Grape 
Vines. 
There is hardly a house in the country 
where a place may not be found for a grape 
vine or two, and if they are trained under 
the eaves of the roof a crop is about as cer- 
tain as if there was no such a thing as rot. 
AGAINST THE HOUSE. 
Fully one-half the people of the present 
day do not plant grape vines because they 
fear rot, but if an available place as above 
mentioned was utilized for this purpose, 
grapes would be plenty. Many houses pos- 
sess a porch on the southern side with a 
portico overhead. No better places for grape 
vines could be found than these. Stretch 
wires horizontally a few feet apart and 
train the vines on them. In summer this 
will give shade and yet allow the air to pass 
through freely. In winter, when the sun- 
shine is so desirable, the foliage is gone so 
as to admit the sun’s rays. The roots of the 
vines will be running along the walls and 
secure moisture all the time. Some may 
prefer flowering vines and creepers in such 
a place. I would ask, is not the foliage of 
the grape vine ornamental, the blossoms 
fair to look upon, and their fragrance sur- 
passed by no other flower? When the 
grapes are ripe there is something substan- 
tial besides, in the bargain. • 
Not only can grapes be grown success- 
fully in such situai ions, but varieties that 
have to be laid down in winter and subject 
to mildew’ will succeed. In winter they 
can be cut loose, laid along the wall on the 
ground and a few boards or corn fodder laid 
on them for protection. Golden Chasselas 
and Black Hamburg can be grow n to per- 
fection in such situations. Even where 
there is no porch or balcony the vines can 
be trained against the bare wall, tacked 
with little strips of leather, and will answer 
as well, with the advantage of making it 
cooler in the house, for the foliage keeps 
the sun’s rays from striking the wall. The 
roots of the vines being on the east or south 
side of the wall, the vines may be trained 
all around the house. I have seen hun- 
dred* of pounds of splendid grapes grown 
against a house in a single season. 
ON TREES. 
The prevailing idea that grapes rot less 
when the vines are allowed to run on trees 
is in the main correct, but not in all in- 
stances. I have a row of about twenty 
vines of Cvnthiana trained to a wire trellis ; 
at one end of the row a vine took possession 
of an Amsden’s June peach tree. Now, 
this is a variety of grape that is as free from 
rot as any we have, yet the grapes upon 
this peach tree were completely ruined by 
rot. The tree had a full crop of peaches, 
which commenced to rot when about half 
grown, and simultaneously with them the 
grapes commenced to rot. Now comes the 
question, is it the same disease or, in other 
words, the same kind of fungus that does 
this great damage ? The rest of the grapes 
on the trellis were saved. — S. Miller. 
Some Good Grapes. 
Why is it that we scarcely ever see any 
notice of the Norfolk grape ? We have had 
one in bearing for two years and to our 
taste it is the best native we know of. It 
has as little pulp as the Brighton and is of 
higher flavor; somewhat resembles Salem 
but is much earlier. The vine is a rapid 
and strong grower and very prolific. It is 
the first to ripen among twelve varieties, 
and the first to disappear, since everybody 
likes them. The Cottage is a profitable 
early grape, hardy, prolific, and sweet when 
black. Its foliage is quite free from mil- 
dew. We consider it preferable to the Con- 
cord and it ripens before Worden. The 
Agawam we have had in bearing for four 
years and, all points considered, like it the 
best of any that we have tested. — Isaac 
Hicks, Queens Co. , N. Y. 
Does Girdling Prevent Rot ? 
Mr. E. W. Jones, of Westchester Co.,N. Y., 
reports the first appearance of rot [probably 
Brown-rot] about July 10. The prevailing 
weather was either rainy or very moist, 
and there were no evident separate periods 
of attack. No remedies were used except 
picking of rotten berries about once a week 
“ which no doubt kept the rot in check. 
On all girdled bunches — about 100 — there 
never appeared as much as one bad berry. 
Can you explain this ?” 
[No we cannot. If the mycelium of the 
fungus reaches the berries by growing 
through and along the stems of the bunch- 
es, as it doubtless does sometimes, the gird- 
ling might prevent this.] 
