52 
March, 1891. 
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Notes for the Month. 
Pruning and making cuttings may still 
be done. We prefer to perform this work 
before the vines bleed, but it may be done 
then notwithstanding. 
Prepare land for setting vines in due 
season. In setting Concord vines nearly 
all the work may be done with a plow. 
First plow very deeply, and harrow it 
smooth and level. Then, with a two horse 
plow, lay off the ground in furrows as deep 
as can be plowed, and as wide as the vines 
are to be put apart : say six or eight feet. 
All that has to be done in setting the vines 
is to level off a space for the roots in these 
furrows, which requires but little labf r, for 
the roots of grape ^ines should be cut off to 
about six or eight inches long ; they make 
a better growth when so cut than when 
planted with whole, long roots. By this 
method a vineyard can be set out in a few 
days. We always prefer to set out vines 
in fresh, damp soil, and therefore furrow 
out the ground freshly and set the vines at 
once. The reason we say that this method 
will do for Concord is that the roots of that 
variety always run shallow and can not be 
made to go down deeply unless the richest 
soil is below. 
The last of this month is the time we 
prefer to graft the grape, when the mean 
temperature of the day reaches 52 . and all 
hard freezing weather is over. Cions for 
June grafting should be kept in cold storage 
so as the buds will not start. We would 
state here also that although there is a best 
period to graft the grape, yet we have seen 
good results in grafting when the vines 
bled quite freely. There is a period about 
that time when we often have a cold spell 
which checks the flow of the sap ; at that 
particular time it is as good as any other, 
so far as we have observed. But as such 
period is short it would not be safe to defer 
the work until then. 
Cuttings in the propagating house require 
constant care and attention. The bottom 
heat should be kept by day from 72° to 75 Q , 
and at night not beiow 65°, the top heat ten 
or 15° lower. The sand must be always 
moist, with thorough and frequent ventil- 
ation. No fungus or damping off will take 
place in a house that is well ventilated and 
the sand kept properly sprinkled, but not 
too wet, with the bottom heat regular. 
We have been asked the question, “what 
kind of white, red and black grapes” would 
we recommend for Kansas ; also, “which 
of the following for southern Kansas — 
Salem, Vergenne9, or Wyoming? Is there 
any other preferable?” In answer to the 
first question I would say the best hi.rdy 
white grapes are Pocklington and Moore’s 
Diamond. The best red are Delaware and 
Brighton, but unfortunately they are only 
adapted to certain locations. The best red 
hardy grape of good quality is Ulster Pro- 
lific. The best black grapes are Concord 
and Worden for g neral market, and the 
Jewel for early market. This so very nearly 
answers the second and third questions that 
there is but little more to be said. We would 
not recommend either Salem, Vergennes or 
Wyoming, as neither are equal to Ulster in 
quality or as productive. The third ques- 
tion is answered by the above. This applies, 
of course, to grapes on the market and in 
general cultivation, and has no reference 
and is not made in comparison with any of 
the new grapes not yet offered for sale, some 
of which far excel any of those mentioned. 
We would further state that the grapes 
above mentioned will succeed and prove 
the best over a wide section of country than 
any other. We have other grapes of value 
for special locations and certain purposes, 
but they cannot be recommended for gener- 
al culture. Such are many of the hybrids 
not altogether hardy, and such as Norton 
and Cynthiana that are hardy but are gen- 
erally grown for wine. We have also anoth- 
er class of grapes that are hardy and produc- 
tive but of indifferent quality, though they 
suit the tastes of some, as Dracut Amber, 
Marsala and Woodruff Red. In flavor they 
are but little improvement upon the wild 
“Fox grape,” and appear to have the same 
origin, and possess the same characteristics 
in color, growth and flavor. — J. Stayman. 
Layer Grape Grafting. 
This is another way of grafting an old 
vineyard over with better varieties, which 
may be more successful with those of little 
experience in grape-root grafting. To do it 
well and expeditiously it should be prepar- 
ed for the previous year at pruning time, 
whether it be in the fall, winter, or spring. 
If it is desired to change all or part of a 
vineyard at one time we should prune very 
short, (less than half the usual amount of 
wood) or if the vineyard is entirely worth- 
less it is much better to take an axe and cut 
the vines off close in the ground. The ob- 
ject of this short pruning or in cutting off 
the vines is to get new strong canes for 
both layering and grafting, as both are 
done at the same time, or in other words, 
we layer the cane just as soon as it is graft- 
ed. Of course if just the right kind of 
canes for layering and grafting are to be had 
readily, we need neither prune short nor cut 
off as advised, but go to work at once graft- 
ing and layering. But this is not often the 
case with all the vines and it would be pos- 
sible only to graft and layer here and there 
over the vineyard, in a season, and we 
would probably have to put off the balance 
of the work until we could get new canes. 
This method we would not advise except in 
a few rare instances where vines are absent 
or it is desired to test some rare new varie- 
ty before grafting many of it. It is better 
to know exactly what varieties one wishes 
to graft and then to do it all or as much as 
can be done at once. Then one is more 
likely to take care of it and to do the work 
better, and, at least, there is a neater and 
more uniform vineyard. The time or sea- 
son to do this grafting is the same as in 
root grafting — in early spring, before the 
vines commence to bleed. Select two good 
strong canes from each vine and dig a 
trench, exactly the same as for layering, on 
each side of the vine for a distance of say, 
three or four feet from it each way. Of 
course if the vines are six or eight feet 
apart and one cane layered each way half 
the distance there would be two in the 
same place. This makes no difference for 
it would be better to graft two vines and 
have too many than not to have enough, 
for some will not grow however expert one 
may be, and if too many one may be taken 
up and planted somewhere else, being extra 
good strong layers. Now, when commenc- 
ing to graft, lay the cane down in the trench 
and bring it up within about eight inches of 
the surface of the ground and mark it there 
so that it may be known exactly where to 
insert the graft. Be particular and have 
the bend in the cane where it is brought up 
below the graft, or the graft may be mis- 
placed in bending it too close to where it is 
inserted. This is a very important matter 
to insure success. To graft the cane cut it 
off just where marked; slope off one side 
about an inch and a half long to a thin 
Layer Grape Grafting. Fig. 416. 
edge and cut a tongue in it about one inch 
and a quarter deep; just exactly as is done 
in whip grafting the apple on sections of 
roots as we have stated. Then strip off the 
outside bark of the cane, from the end 
about six or eight inches, so the bend of the 
cane will be where the bark is taken off. 
This is for the purpose of making the graft 
take soon as well as to make the cane or 
layer strike roots quicker and better. Then 
taks a good strong graft with not less than 
two eyes, about eight inches long, slope and 
tongue it exactly like the cane, take the 
bark off it up as high as where inserted. 
Match and place the tongues within each 
other firmly so that they match exactly on 
one side, at least, or both, as the case may 
be, then wrap with waxed threads or gro- 
cers’ wrapping twine to keep the grafts 
in place until placed in the trench or 
until united. Of course this grafting is 
done before the cane is layered so that it 
may be seen. It is then layered down to 
its place at once, for the sooner it is done 
the better. In laying it down press the 
ground firmly at the bend and around the 
graft. The upper bud of the graft should 
be about level with the surface and marked 
with a stake to tie it to when growing. 
Whenever the work is finished, or before as 
desired, cut away all other canes that are 
left and as often as they start out from the 
