52 
SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
french afterwards closed by the shovel or the turning- 
plow. 
In order to secure a good stand, it has been our custom 
to plant twice as many cuttings as we intend to leave. 
For instance, if we intend our vines ultimately to stand 
10 feet apart in the row, we plant cuttings every 5 feet in 
the row, and if all grow, take up every second one at the 
<end of the first season, leaving the others at the proper dis 
lance. This is better than planting two or three cuttings 
in a hole together and removing all but one, as, by our 
method, there is no danger of injuring the vine left be- 
hind. 
After Culture. — During the first summer, the entire 
ground must be kept clean, open and mellow, by the con- 
stant passage of light cultivators or horse-hoes between 
the rows, and if the soil is very clayey or retentive, it 
may be well to make a wide 'open furrow mid-way be- 
♦ween each row, to hold surplus water, and keep it from 
settling around the grape roots. This will rarely be ne- 
eessary, however, if the ground has been plowed and pul- 
verized as we have directed ; for, such a large body of 
k)ose and porous soil possesses immense capacities for the 
absorption and proper distribution of moisture. If your 
llill side is steep and inclined to “wash” or “gully,” it 
may be well to bed up two or three furrows of earth on 
Ihe lower Side of each grape row, thus forming a sort of 
shelf or terrace for each, which, with the centre furrow 
before described, will enable every row to hold whatever 
water falls upon it, and prevent that “washing” and 
^gullying” which is the consequence of a rush of accumu- 
lated water. 
Mulching, &c.— After the first spring working of the 
Tineyard with the horse-hoe or cultivator, it will be found 
an excellent practice to mvlch or cover the ground along 
#ie grape rows, two feet in width and four or five inches 
lieep, with partially decomposed leaves, chopped pine 
straw, or some similar material, sprinkling a little earth 
»ver it to keep it in place. This mulching will prevent 
^e growth of weeds, restrain too rapid evavoration, &c., 
and, by its gr dual decay, yield considerable sustenance 
to the vine. It will, also, we think, have a tendency to 
prevent the sometimes blighting effects of the refraction ot 
the sun’s roys from a hard and baked surface; and if the 
Oanes are trained low and horir»ntal!y, will be useful in 
'keeping the clusters of fruit clean and unsullied. 
We deem it scarcely necessary to offer any further re- 
marks on pruning, making of wine, &c., at present; as 
‘^e very able and practical treatise of Mr de Caradeuc* is 
very full and explicit upon all these points, and may be 
»fely followed As new facts and experiments, con- 
»«cted with Grape Culture in the South, are developed, 
ire shah take great pleasure in giving them to the public; 
Md being desirous, in our humble way, of doing all in 
•or power to further the progress of this great enterprise, 
we shall be greatly obliged for information from practical 
men every where. 
In the preceding remarks, we have indicated our own 
<|K’eference for locality, implements, &c., but do not wish 
11 to be understood that more level land may not answer 
the purpose well, or that the work may not be performed 
with different plows from those which we use. We deem 
it advisable to point out the easiest and most practicable 
system, in order that land owners may be induced to 
give the Grape a fair trial; feeling confident that the suc- 
cess which will follow this simple and inexpensive plan 
of planting the Vine, will justify and induce a more 
thorough and elaborate preparation of other Vineyards 
hereafter. We, of the South, are in this, as in many other 
things, singularly oblivious of the great advantages of soil 
and climate which we possess ; but we trust that the new 
spirit which is beginnings prevail, and the many well- 
directed experiments now in progress, will remove all 
doubtand fully demonstrate the unrivalled capacities of 
our favored section. D. R. 
eland,'' Augusta, Ga., Jan., 1859. 
|*NOTE.— A escond edition of Mr.'DE Caradeoc’s p«mphlet o« 
Grape Culture, with an Apendix, is now ready. See adrertise- 
ment.J 
W11.D SCUPPl£R>ONG GRAPES, &c. 
Editors Southern Cultivator — I have been trying 
fora terra of years to promote the cultivation of Fruit and 
Ornamenti.l Trees — and have given all my leisure to this 
object and Horticultural improvement. Living in alow, 
flat country we suffer exceedingly from late frosts — my 
experiments all inculcate the idea that Northern F-ruit 
will not succeed in this latitude: a few years ago I got 
some Onio men to graft my Apple trees. They were very 
expert in the business — cut up my trees— filled them full 
of best grafts from Ohio — half of the trees were so much 
mutilated that they died, and the rest which live and 
bear fruit never bring an Apple to perfection. By th« 
time they are grown they rot and fall off, or dry up on 
the boughs. They did not lack either in experiness in 
charging. This experiment satisfied me; as the old say- 
ing is “ a burned child dreads the fire,” in future I expect 
my supplies from the South. The Tennessee trees do 
pretty well here, those from North Alabama also. I 
■iiave a lot obtained from the vicinity of Yuzoo City, 
which came highly recommended, but are as yet to bi 
tested I have the nucleus of a vineyard ; all my varietiei 
have failed the last two years except the S.-uppernong, 
which this year in particular, has exceeded all expecta- 
tions. I have found this variety growing luxuriantly i» 
the low land of Lipsey river; There appears to be two 
parent vines, which fiom size and appearance must b« 
quite antiquated; from these seedlings some white some 
iilack are scattered all around in the vicinity — these ori- 
ginals must have existed here from a remofe period — to 
which time the “ memory of man runneth not back 
how they came here no one can divine — perhaps the seed 
WHS deposited by the woodpecker in his annual migra^ 
lion South and brought from the Roanoke ; we know by 
experience that they are very fond of the fruit and may 
have scattered the seed in their telegraphic flights in 
quest of isothermal comfort. It is true that our country 
is settled up wuh North Carolinians, but none so old as 
these vines, and strange to say, none of them are im- 
pressed with the ideas of the utile et dulce. Thcreiore, 
the advent of these strangers could not be attributed to 
them Yours, very respectfully, J. E. P. 
Vienna, Alabama. 
