SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
316 
fy it. The dark Claret is allowed to ferment on the skins 
for four or five days, in order to extract all the color ; it is 
then treated as the others. 
Another item, believed by many to be positively indis- 
pensable, and the cost of which is very considerable, is a 
cellar. Till now our wine-cellars have been but very 
slight board-houses on the surface, and we have lost no 
wine from acidity, except where we could trace it to 
deakase, or some other cause. And in order still more 
to cheapen and simplify the business, and rtmove ail 
mystery from it, 1 have taught my negroes to go through 
the entire process, from the planting and pruning to the 
boitling of the wine. They are fully as intelligent as the 
peasantry of Europe, and much more to be depended 
upon. Here we have another decided advantage over the 
Western folks, who are dependent upon the caprices of 
foreign laborers, and many are the airs they put on when 
they come to this country ! 
By following the above directions, which I have en- 
*dftavored to give in such a manner as to be wiihin the 
understanding of all, and making use of a little judgment 
in modifying them according to circumstances, the most 
inexpeiienced farmer can set himself out a vineyard, 
and skill will come with experience. I wdsh to see as 
many as possible engage in tlie business, as the more we 
are. the better it wiU be for all, and centuries will elapse 
before it ceases to pay. We iiope, ere long, to see a 
Southern Society of Wine Grower.s, with its center at 
Augusta, offering to the world pure and luscious wines, 
of all hue.s and of all flavors. 
I should state that Dr. Me Donnald’s mode of planting 
vines is more simple than mine. Re makes no ditches, 
but only holes, about sixteen inches in diameter and eigh- 
teen deep, and plants the cuttings in these. His vines 
are remarkably fine, as all who see them can testify. 
Ditches recp-iire more labor at first, but then there is the 
advantage of having that part of your land broken which 
^the plow cannot altc-rvvards reach. A. C. 
Woodivard^ S. C., S’^plemher, i857. 
PLANTING OllCHAllDt-i— SPECIAL. DIREC- 
tions. 
Thr season for planting orchards is now approaching, 
and though it may to some persons seem a very easy mat- 
ter, still, others may perhaps be benefiited by a few le- 
marks. 
It is a very prevailing opinion that poor, worn-out, 
land, unfit for any other crop, is quite good enough for 
•fruit trees 1 his may be true to some extent, provided 
the spot is properly situated, and can be thoroughly pte- , 
pared 
The situation should always, if possible, be dry, ele- 
vated and fully exposed to all winds; a very gentle slope 
being always preferable to a dead level. A good iouam, 
or tnixture of clay and sand is suitable for most kinds of 
■fruit, and if ituerspersed with some small rocks or slate, 
and containing a little lime, so much ihe better. 
Good liuit IS not merely a luxury, but it is the ,gr' aie>t, 
■Lhe must delightful and wholesome luxury with which 
Providence h s blessed mankind But we cannot expect 
ifully to 'iijoy tliese luxuries vvithout labor and skill; and 
the more care we be^tCsV on our 0/chards, the better they 
will repMV us. j 
'i he fir-t step towards it i', iherefi.re, to prepare the soil { 
propel ly and thuiougldy, and the- best v/ay uf doing it is 
by snbsoihng tlm vcliole gr, mud, intended for an orenanf, j 
IM or iiOincne ■ deep Should tlii.^>, however, nqmre more I 
work ih.ni corivenienily couM be devoted, i would pro-! 
pose to mark out iiie rows fnr the trees at the prfijier ois- 
ly as it can be done. This will greatly facilitate the sub- 
sequent digging of the holes, and though not so efficient 
as a thorough subsoiiing of the whole ground, will be found 
very beneficial. 
Next procure young, thrifty trees, from a reliable nurs- 
ery, and in preference from those which have a soil and 
clirnaie as similar as possible to that in which the trees 
are intended to grow. 
Every peison is, of course, desirous of having his or- 
chard come into bearing, and, therefore, the error Js often 
commiited of planting large trees. I call it an error, lor 
the main secret to insure the prosperity of an orchard is. 
io have tne soil well prepiared, and trees properly culti- 
vated and attended to. 
It is a fact wei! known to all distinguished Orchardists 
that ‘‘maiden trees,” (that is, trees of one or two years of 
age, without a head) are by far the most preferable ones ; 
this principle is now generally admitted to be as correct as 
the deep w orking of the soil (a few years ago even so ut- 
terly ridiculed.) is now considered to be the true basis for 
all improvements in farming and planting. 
M. ny persons may think it absurd to speak of ma- 
nuring trees ; but rely upon it, first rate and luscious 
fruit can never be expected from starved trees ; if we do 
not treat our trees properly, they will be sure to disap- 
poiiitus; therefore, unless the soil be very good, which 
IS seldom the case on elevated spots, the trees will need 
some manure in (he holes, previously to being planted. 
f*ost horticultural works say: “do not apply any animal 
manure to ihe trees; use leaf-mould.” This is very much 
die same principle as feeding a horse on fodder, without 
allowing him any corn. My experience is different ; I 
have very little use for leaf mould, e:tcept as a constituest 
in compost. I never plant a fruit nee without giving it 
two or three shovelsful of rich animal manure, and 1 have 
always seen the most betitficial results, 'ilie manure 
should be put at the bottom of the hole, and thoroughly 
incorporated with the soil before the tree is planted. 
bhould it happen, on the arrival of the trees, that they 
are in a very dry condition, bury them completely, top 
and all, in moist sandy soil for 3 or 4 days, after which 
they will look plump and fresh again : plant them as usu- 
al, and prune them very severely. In fiict, in planting a 
tree, it never can be prunned too severely, the more the 
better, even if pruned back to the very naked stem, and 
even that cut down to two feet above ground. The best 
time for planting an orchard in the Somh is as early in 
the autumn as possible after the first killing frost, say in 
November and December. Duiing our mild winters 
the roots will then have time to become established, and 
the tree will be ready to start when spring sets in. 
Persons are often careless in scattering the trees around 
over the ground whde they are digging the holes. This 
habit is very injurious to the trees, for ti eir rootlets are 
very apt to dry up when exposed, even fi-r a short time, 
to dry winds or frost ; it is, therifbre, a good plan to keep 
the roots covered up in some way till the very moment 
wdieii they are to be planted. 
In most cases too much distance is allowed between the 
trees f)r our Soutijern climate. .Fifieen feet is sufficient 
fi,r Peaches, Apples and Standard Pears ; fen feet will 
am^sver for Dwart Pears, for it is important that they 
should shade the ground as soon as po.ssible. 
The frequent stirring and cultivating the soil in an 
orchar.l, 1 .S a matter oi great iinponunce and benefit to the 
young trtes. Nubotly can expect vigorous and {irnduc- 
ti'.'e trees, wltluau workingthe soil between them Crops 
■mali gram, however, corn and grass, shoul i never be 
orchard ; wiiiie such crops as shide ihe 
cultivated, at least until the trees are 
8u.-h crof)S as wat^ r-inelons, nut- 
lueg-meions; liish potatoes, sweet [ otatoes, peas, turnips. 
of 
suile ed in an 
tance',ai;d with a good tuisi.ing jdovv followed by u su )- j gtonnd ^hould b 
God plow or bi'il-tongue, to work th- rows, in which the 1 coming into bearma : 
trees are to be planted, at least four Get wide, and as deep- i 
