AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
41 
the shoots so that a round, open head will be 
formed; shorten-in all the remaining shoots 
about two-thirds of their length, and the 
work of planting will be complete. The sub¬ 
sequent treatment will only become difficult 
through neglect. An annual pruning is in- 
dispensible, which may be done during the 
winter, or very early in spring, and which 
consists mainly in shortening-in the last sea¬ 
son’s growth, leaving about six inches of 
new wood, and cutting out entirely all 
branches that cross or interlace each other, 
so as to keep the head well open and in 
good shape. Suckers must be eradicated as 
soon as they make their appearance. Fork 
in some good old manure in the spring, and 
keep the ground mellow and free from 
weeds. If the soil is stiff, the manure may 
be applied in the fall, and forked in in the 
spring. If you have done the work tho¬ 
roughly and skillfully, you may look confi¬ 
dently for an abundant reward. 
This article would be incomplete without 
a list of desirable kinds. The Red and 
White Dutch are, on the whole, about the 
best, and are recommended for the general 
crop. The Cherry is a large and splendid 
variety, but not very productive. The White 
Grape is also large and handsome. Large 
White Provence is a very large and hand¬ 
some new variety. May’s Victoria is late, 
and a good bearer, with long bunches of 
fruit. Prince Albert is a fine late red vari¬ 
ety. Black Naples and Bang Up are the best 
black varieties, and are good for jellies. 
Knight's Sweet Red we grew four years be¬ 
fore we discovered that the “ sweet” was 
produced by the liberal addition of sugar. 
The Long-bunched Red is a desirable vari¬ 
ety. The list might be extended, but we 
think the above more than enough ; they 
are the best, so far as our experience goes. 
We repeat, however, that the Red and White 
Dutch will give most satisfaction for a gene¬ 
ral crop. 
GRAPE CULTURE—NO, II. 
The principal objects of these chapters is the 
dissemination of useful and practical information 
to those who wish to cultivate and enjoy the fruit 
of the grape vine, and yet do not desire, or cannot 
afford to employ a professional man ; and as this 
position demands plainness and simple directions, 
I will strive to fulfill the requirement. 
The natives have been alluded to, by which I 
mean the improved cultivated varieties of some 
three species which are found growing wild in our 
try. These are hardy, thriving and pro¬ 
ducing fruit, in the open air, when properly treat¬ 
ed. We have as yet but few kinds superior to 
the original varieties, and even these are capable 
of improvement. This, however, is not to be 
gained as much by any peculiar skill in the man¬ 
agement of existing sorts as by producing new 
varieties from seed, although superior cultivation 
will, as a general thing, improve the size and fla¬ 
vor of any variety. 
VARIETIES. 
Among the hardy kinds under cultivation at 
the present time, which may be recommended, 
are Isabella,—which is No. 1 for the Eastern 
States :—Catawba—for the West;—Concord, 
Diana, Rebecca and Hartford Prolific—for thQ 
North, or even the Northern and Western States 
generally. For the South, the Scuppernong with 
its varieties, answers best. 
The exotics, or foreign varieties, for the most 
part, belong piimitively to the Asiatic Continent, 
but are cultivated over all favorable parts of Eu¬ 
rope. They are capable of bearing intense frost, 
but do not thrive well without protection in our 
variable climate. We can, and do, notwithstand¬ 
ing, grow them in glass structures to as great 
perfection as any of the cultivators in older coun¬ 
tries. These are very far superior to our natives, 
and are so fast becoming a popular fruit that it is 
necessary to show how a suitable house can be 
cheaply constructed. 
COLD GRAPERIES 
are buildings, or covered arbors, in which vines 
are trained for protection against sudden changes 
of the atmosphere, and especially to ripen those 
varieties which would be injured by early frosts, 
or in other words, which will not mature their 
fruit by out-door culture in our comparatively 
short summers. A suitable structure for a private 
family can be conveniently erected against any 
side of a dwelling except the north, by building 
a sort of piazza, with glass roof and sides, having 
two or three sliding frames in the top for ventila¬ 
tion. Such a structure could be put up at very 
little cost, and may be by the side of any other 
building as well as the dwelling house, in the 
form of a glass shed. 
About ten vines are enough, and if properly 
treated will yield the year after planting 50 lbs.; 
the next year 100 lbs.; the third year 200 lbs of 
grapes,—and the latter quantity each season af¬ 
terwards If the covered piazza be adopted there 
need be no soil inside, as the vines may be plant¬ 
ed along the front three feet apart, and the tops 
introduced level with the ground, to be after¬ 
wards trained up the front inside, and along the 
underside of the roof. In the shed form it will be 
best to make a portion of the soil in the house 
equally good with the outer bed, and plant on the 
inside front of the house. The most profitable 
and hardy kinds for this purpose, or in fact in all 
cases, with perhaps a few additions, are Black 
Hamburg , No. 1, Zinfindal, black, Black Prince, 
Chasselas Fontainebleau, whitish ambre, (No. 1,) 
White Frontignau, amber, and Syrian, whitish 
green. 
THE FORCING HOUSE OR WARM GRAPERY 
is artificially heated, and is intended for producing 
grapes earlier in the season than the cold grapery 
will admit of. It is a more expensive affair, re¬ 
quiring much skill and close attention, with full 
directions for construction. It is fully described 
in my “ Grape Growers Guide,” as are also 
graperies in general. 
Much ado has been made about the preparation 
of beds or borders in which to grow the exotic 
kinds, and the most disgusting material, such as 
dead horses, oxen, hogs, and other animals, have 
been introduced into these beds. Common sense 
alone should convince us how -unnatural is such 
a conglomerate mass for the healthy growth of 
the vines. The fact is, nothing of the kind is re¬ 
quired, even for the most vigorous growth of any 
of the sorts. There is reason in all things, not 
excepting the cultivation of the grape. If you 
have a poor base, make use of a liberal supply of 
barnyard manure, and if the soil is deficient of 
lime, give a good supply, or add broken bones, if 
they can be had cheaply, which is still better, as 
they contain the same material, with extra fertil¬ 
izing properties, not soon exhausted. If the soil 
is retentive of moisture, or holds the bottom 
water, drain it thoroughly, and with after gord 
treatment success will be certain. 
HINTS FOR THE MONTH. 
If vines are to be planted this season, have 
everything ready by the breaking up of frost, con¬ 
veying to the spot any manure that will be wanted, 
while the ground is hard. Do not leave this until 
you are pressed by other work. The same applies 
also to existing plantations, if not already done. 
The manure should be forked in old borders, or 
applied as a mulch without delay. Pruning 
should be commenced at once, and ought to be 
finished before the month is out, unless the 
weather remain very severe. If so, defer it, but 
do not delay unnecessarily. In cutting, leave two 
or three buds of last year’s growth, and it the 
wood has been left crowded, cut out all the super¬ 
fluous, weak, or unripened shoots. Endeavor to 
have clean, healthy, and strong wood left, so that 
each branch may be laid in, and loosely tied, 
eighteen inches apart, according to the form of 
trellis. 
The above cut represents one form of training, 
with the Upright bearing branches for the present 
year, and the spurs or buds for producing new 
wood for next year’s crop. The bearing branches 
are to be cut out each Fall, leaving one or two 
buds for future growth. 
If the vines are merely to be staked, as is 
now mostly done in vineyard culture, one, oi at 
most two of the best canes, may be cut down to 
three feet, and the others to two buds from the 
bottom. 
The former are for bear 
ing, and should be neatly 
but loosely tied to an up¬ 
right stake ; and the latter 
is for making new canes 
for another sieason’s fruit¬ 
ing. Those who understand 
cultivating under glass, 
doubtless pruned last Fall* 
and the same applies to 
the cold grapery, where, the 
vines were probably taken 
down from the roof in the 
fall, and covered with straw 
or mats ; but if these were neglected, prune imme¬ 
diately, using care to leave the buds as described 
above. Every one should learn to prune a grape¬ 
vine, even if he does not practice it, that we may 
have less cutting and shaving, thereby losing a 
crop, which is so often the case. Where a trellis 
is not already covered with vines, and further ex¬ 
tension is desk 3, 'Ic, the principal canes may be 
pruned according to the vigor of growth. If very 
strong, they may be left six feet in length, and so 
down to two feet. These remarks apply in like 
manner to planted vines during their after growth. 
Prepare cuttings of native varieties eon ■ 
If taining four or five buds in length. Make a 
clean cut immediately beneath the lower bud, 
but leave some two inches of wood above the 
upper one. These should be made now, if 
they were not prepared when the vines were 
pruned in the fall. Tie them up in neat 
bundles, and bury them, with the exception 
of their upper end, in sand in the cellar until 
the time of planting in the spring. The soil 
should be well plowed or spaded, and if 
trenched, so much the better. If soaked for a 
few days previous to planting, the buds will swell, 
and success be more certain. Plant in rows three 
feet apart, and about one foot distant in the row 
