116 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[April, 
Grap es—Trellises—Strawberries. 
INTERESTING TO GROWERS OP SMALL FRUITS. 
! Rev. J. Knox, of Pittsburg, Pa., whose ex¬ 
tensive culture of strawberries perhaps enti¬ 
tles him to be called the “ Strawberry King,” is 
also pretty largely engaged in grape culture. 
We do not quite share his enthusiasm in re¬ 
gard to the Concord Grape, which he claims to 
be the grape for this country, but he confidently 
predicts that we shall have to come to it after 
the results of a few more years are seen. Dur¬ 
ing his recent visit to the Agriculturist otfice we 
gathered some particulars concerning a grape 
trellis, which he devised and has extensively used, 
and his mode of growing grapes and strawber¬ 
ries together. The foundation for the trellis is 
made by setting locust, or other durable posts, at 
a distance of 12 feet apart. These posts, a, are 
3i feet long, and are set 21 feet in the ground. 
To these are spiked uprights, 6, made of hem¬ 
lock scantling 3x4 inches, and 6 feet long. The 
horizontal strips, c, sawed out of pine stuff, are 
1 inch thick, and 4 inches wide. Mr. Knox uses 
them 24 feet long, so as to reach across two sec¬ 
tions of the trellis, but where it is more conven¬ 
ient, they may be made 12 feet in length. The 
slats, d , are of pine, lxl! inch, 8 feet long, and 
are fastened, 9 inches from center to center, to 
the horizontal strips, c , by a single 8d nail at 
each. The trellis may be put up at the time the 
vines are planted, or the posts may be set then, 
and the rest added as needed. The slats need 
not all be put on until the third year. Mr. Knox 
prefers to plant vines only one year old from 
the eye.: these are cut back to a single bud, the 
shoot from which is tied up to a stake, and al¬ 
lowed to grow as long as it will; during Sum¬ 
mer the laterals or branches are pinched off to 
one leaf. In the Fall this cane is cut back to 
two buds, which the next season is treated as 
before, and kept tied to stakes or to two slats 
upon the trellis, as is represented in the left- 
hand vine. At the close of the second season 
the vine has two strong canes, which are short¬ 
ened to 3 feet each, and in the Spring of the 
third year are trained out horizontally to make 
arms, as in the right-hand vine. The wood 
formed the third year is trained to the slats, and 
afterward pruned upon the renewal or spur 
system, as may be desired. Mr. K. prefers the 
renewal plan, but deviates from it when neces¬ 
sary, to keep 48 square feet of trellis covered 
with the bearing wood of one vine. The trellises 
are placed 8 feet apart, and the intervening 
spaces are occupied by strawberries, which he 
finds do not interfere with the grapes, and are 
benefitted by the shelter which the vines afford. 
At 2i feet from the grapea a row of strawberries 
is planted; this one is followed by three other 
rows, a foot apart, which will leave another space 
of 2£ feet to the next 
row of grapes, giving 
four rows of strawber¬ 
ries between each two 
rows of grapes. The 
two outside rows of 
strawberries are allowed 
to make runners, which 
root in the space left 
next the grapes, while 
the runners of the other 
rows, and all those from 
the outside rows which 
run in toward the other 
strawberry vines are 
carefully taken off. The 
runners which are left 
to grow, furnish a supply of plants for market 
the first Fall after planting, and thus a pay¬ 
ing crop is taken from the land the first year. 
The ne.xt year a crop of strawberries is ob¬ 
tained, as well as other vines from new run¬ 
ners. By pursuing this method, Mr. Knox 
makes the land produce returns every year, and 
thinks that by arranging in this way, the 
strawberries will pay for the whole expense of 
the grapes—purchasing the vines, preparing the 
soil, and cultivating until they come into bearing. 
Propagating the Grape. 
Mr. J. Borland, of Bucks Co., Penn., having 
been very successful in propagating the Dela¬ 
ware grape by grafting, the Fruit-Growers’- 
Meeting requested him to com¬ 
municate his method. Mr. B. very 
modestly disclaims any originality 
in the matter, and says that he was 
induced to try the plan from hav¬ 
ing seen it noticed in the Agricultur¬ 
ist for March, 18G2. A set of spe¬ 
cimens illustrating the process was 
sent, from which we have had en¬ 
gravings made that will enable 
our readers to easily understand 
the manner of working. The cions, 
which should be cut when the vine 
is quite dormant, have two buds 
to each: the lower end is cut 
wedge-shaped, with the lower bud 
at the base, or broad end, of the 
wedge, as shown in Fig. 1. The 
i cions should be of one-year-old 
wood, while the wood into which they are 
grafted may be two or more years old. A 
branch, which can be readily laid down, is se¬ 
lected and split quite through, at intervals of 
every 18 inches or 2 feet, to receive the cions. 
In the specimen sent by Mr. Borland the grafts 
were inserted about one or two inches from 
each joint. The wedge-shaped ends of the 
cions being inserted in the branch as in Fig. 2, 
it is then laid down and buried in the earth, 
leaving the upper bud of the cion just above 
the surface. Mr. B. prefers to do the grafting 
about the 20th of March, but it may be done at 
any time before the sap starts. In the following 
Fall or Spring the branch containing the grafts 
may be taken up and cut off near the new 
vines, which will now be well rooted, and able 
to take care of themselves. Fig. 3 represents a 
vine which was grafted last Spring. This 
method has been very successful with the Dela¬ 
ware, which is difficult to propagate from 
cuttings in the ordinary way. It can hardly be 
called grafting, as the old stock is of no use 
after the first year. The union between the 
stocks and graft is very slight, but sufficient to 
afford sustenance until the cion makes roots of 
its own, which it does very freely. When the 
new plant is removed, the stocks may be cut off 
quite close to it, or even removed altogether. 
The plan is worthy of the attention of those 
who have vines of any inferior quality, and wish 
to replace them with choicer sorts. Mr. Bor¬ 
land is very successful in grafting the Delaware 
upon old roots. The vines are “ cut off G or 8 
inches under ground, split in four pieces, and 
the grafts inserted. If the grafts are likely to 
to be pinched, put in wooden wedges, tie up 
with -waxed cloth, and earth up within one inch 
of the top bud of the graft.” 
Late Pears Profitable. 
We have this day (March 4th) seen two bar¬ 
rels of Yicar of Winkfield, and half a barrel of 
Glout Morceau pears in a fine state of preser¬ 
vation, with every indication that they will keep 
a month longer. They Avere raised by W. S. 
Carpenter in Westchester Co., N. Y., picked 
late, and packed in unwinnowed oats. They 
were then kept in a cool place, and are noiv in 
a eommon cellar in this city with apples- and 
potatoes. Mr. Carpenter is eminently success¬ 
ful in keeping pears, and finds it pays well. He 
is now offered $1.50 per dozen for his Glout 
Morceaus, and the Vicars would probably sell 
for $20 per barrel. Such results indicate that 
it would be profitable to give more attention to 
winter pears. They can only be found on sale 
at a few of the fruit stands, at this season of the 
year, and bring enormous prices. Doubtless 
there is much yet to learn regarding the best 
method of keeping fruit, though there has been 
much light thrown upon the subject during the 
past few years. Let us have more light, and 
—more Avinter and spring pears. (P. S. March, 
11th. The Vicars sold to day at $35 per bbl.) 
