Agriculture is the most healthful , the most useful , and the most noble employment of man.—W ashington. 
NEW YORK, FEBRUARY, 1817. NO. II. 
VOL. VI. 
A. B. Allen, Editor. 
PLANTING THE ISABELLA GRAPE-VINE. 
The most favorable season for planting the Isa¬ 
bella grape-vine in the United States, is when the 
red-flowered maple is in bloom, which usually oc¬ 
curs in Georgia from the 20th to the last of Febru¬ 
ary, and five or six weeks later near Philadelphia 
and New York. In selecting the cuttings for a 
vineyard, they should be of one variety, and taken 
from the most fruitful part of the vine. Let us not 
content ourselves with single clusters, hut those 
which are the most prolific. The greatest propor¬ 
tion of fruit grows from the buds on the last year’s 
shoots next to the old wood, with the exception of 
the nearest eye, the top buds being unfruitful and 
seldom bearing at all. Some prefer to plant cut¬ 
tings containing a considerable portion of the old 
wood; but, as it is not always prudent nor 
economical to mutilate a favorite vine too much, it 
is best to select fruitful cuttings of the last year’s 
rowth, with the wood well ripened. They should 
e of a moderate size, short-jointed, and containing 
from six to eight eyes or buds in each. They should 
be cut off transversely from the vine, with a sharp 
knife, close to the old wood, and not less than two 
inches of blank wood should be left for the protec¬ 
tion of the terminal buds. The ends of the cut¬ 
tings that are to remain above ground should be 
cut in an oblique direction, and the sloping side 
should be opposite the side containing the upper¬ 
most bed. If possible, they should be planted in 
calm weather, immediately after separation from 
the parent vine, and be obtained from a soil, situa¬ 
tion, and climate, similar to those in which they 
are intended to grow; but if any difference in these 
respects should unavoidably occur, it will be better 
to transplant from a poorer to a richer, and from 
a dryer to a moister soil, as also from a colder to a 
warmer climate. But should it be necessary to 
convey the cuttings from a distance, their lower 
ends should be immersed in a composition of fine 
earth, well mixed with linseed or other oil, of about 
Harper & Brothers, Publishers. 
the consistence of tar, as soon as they are cut off 
from the parent stock, at the same time, taking the 
precaution not to cut off the top ends till the mo¬ 
ment they are to be used. 
If the situation of the ground be on a plain, or in 
a valley, it should be dug two feet in depth, and on 
rising ground three ; but on a hill-side, somewhat 
steeper, it should be turned up at least four feet, in 
order that the roots may penetrate beyond the reach 
of drought. If the cuttings are intended to be 
planted in drills or rows, let there be formed 
trenches three feet in length, two feet in depth, and 
the width of a spade, leaving intervals or baulks, a 
yard in length, between the trenches till the row is 
finished. Then, with good virgin soil, if it be at 
hand, if not let it be procured from the woods, and: 
fill up the trenches therewith, mixing it at the same 
time with a due proportion of leaf mould or well- 
rotted manure, or what is still better, the leaves and 
husks of vines, or grape-seeds, in order to quicken 
and strengthen the growth of the plants. If a vine¬ 
yard be the object which we have in view, let the 
rows or drills be trenched from five to ten feet 
asunder, according to the surface of the ground 
and the latitude of the place. If the situation be on 
a plain, in a high degree of latitude, the rows 
should be eight or ten feet apart; but if it be on 
the side of a very steep hill, or in a low degree 
of latitude, five feet will be sufficient; and on 
moderately inclined surfaces, or in higher latitudes 
six or eight feet apart will be all that is required. 
With regard to the direction of the rows, and the 
height to which the vines should be trained, they 
may run in a manner that will allow them to face 
any point of the horizon between south and east; 
and they may be supported on props, or trellises 
from six to ten feet in height, and even more, ac¬ 
cording to the vigor of the vines. But in cities,, 
or about houses in the country, single vines may 
be trained on the sides and ends of buildings, along; 
the sides of fences, or the trunks and branches of 
trees. 
