
          820

William Wilson Esq of Clermont
on the cultivation of the Grape

820
[From the New York Farmer]

GRAPE VINES

Communication from William Wilson, Esq. of 
Clermont, New York, on the Culture of the Grape,
addressed to the New York Horticultural Society
March, 1828.

You noticed a few grapes which I sent last 
summer to my friend, Mr Peter Hattack. They 
were not intended for exhibition, or perhaps,
better bunches might have been sent.  But as
they met your approbation, the mode of raising
them may not be unacceptable

I have cultivated grapes for more than twenty
year, and, for the last ten years, with success.
The soil in which they grew is light and gravelly
loam, the ground perfectly level, the vines were
raised from cutting, and planted in the place 
they were intended to be continued, and where
they now are.  I have two rows of about twenty-five
vines each, one on the north side of the
garden, exposed to the south, and protected by  
a high board fence, the other row in the middle 
and most exposed situation, with not shelter
whatever.  For the fist six or seven years, they
were cultivated in the usual way, cut down to 
three or four feet, and supported by stacks and
lathhs.  Their growth was rapid, and required a
good deal of trimming.  They bore fruit; but, in
two years out of three, they were blasted and
mildewed, good for nothing; all we got was 
trouble and vexation.  I had resolved to abandon
them.  About this time I observed in the
woods some very fine looking wild grapes, the
vines running up high trees, and most of the
fruit at or near the top.  On examining, many
were found in the same situation.  From this, I
took the hint of raising the cultivated grape
higher from the ground.

At the time of trimming, 
I left the vines their whole length, ten or 
twelve feet or more: cutting away every side
shoot, and leaving the vines as clear of shoots,
or spurs, or heads, as possible.  The spring following,
by every vine was fixed a strong stake,
at least ten feet high, with most of the limbs untouched,
so that they had the appearance of 
large bushes, or well grown sapplings. The 
vines were twisted around them to the top, and,
when necessary, were tied with [illegible]. By the
middle of June, the stakes were entirely covered
by the new shoots of the vine, and with plenty
of fruit, which was full ripe in September,
and not one bunch blasted or mildewed. There was
not one cluster within three or four feet of the
ground.  Since that time, I have continued the
same practice, and have now vines 20 or 30
feet long; some of which run up the fruit trees adjoining
, the other being carried eight of ten feet,
and then stretched horizontally.  It is no
unpleasant thing to see a cherry tree on one
hand, a pear tree on the other, and a peach
tree not far off, all ornamented with a cluster
of grapes.  Yet such is the case, and has been
for years past. Several strangers , both citizens
and Europeans, curious in such things, have
called to examine for themselves, and have 
generally allowed it to be the most successful cultivation
they had seen.

To the members of the Horticultural Society,
who it is probable, are mostly practical men, I
cannot write in their technical language: it is
therefore hoped they will excuse the inaccuracies
tha may occur. In as few words as possible, the
whole management of the year is as
follows and it matters not what period we 
begin.  The fruit begins to ripen early in September,
and continues till the frosts in October. 
As soon as the grapes are all gathered,
that is about the 15th of October, the stakes
are taken and thrown aside for firewood. The
vine is then stretched out its whole length, 
and trimmed as clean as possible, in which state it
is left lying on the ground for two or three 
weeks; about the last of November they are
laid on the surface at full length, and fastened
down with pins, and covered lightly with earth;
which is done by digging  a shallow ditch on
each side, and throwing up the ground to the
middle, which forms a ridge over the vines,
and covers them about ten or twelve inches; no
straw, manure or any other covering but the 
earth; in this state they lie all winter.  In April,
as soon as the weather will permit, they are
uncovered and left on the ground for ten or
twelve days, or more; the stakes are now,
about the first of May, fixed in their places,and
the vines replaced as before. They require no
futher trouble, unless some that may be blown
down are to be put up again.  The borders are
now well dressed by digging and raking, but no
manure, nor has any been put on for ten years
or more. They are also kept perfectly clean
through the summer, by frequent hoeing and
raking; no vegetables are allowed to grow on
the borders at any time.

This mode of raising grapes differs from the
ordinary, in these particulars:
1st. Trimming or pruning -- this is usually
done in Februrary or March.  Here, we never
cut a vine later than November.  Were this
done in the spring, they would either bleed to
death, or be so much weakened as to bear no
fruit.  In general we are too sparing of the
knife, leaving too many eyes or buds, by which
you get too much wood and too little the fruit; and
there is a mistake, which all writers that I have
seen have fallen into, that "vines bear their
fruit on the wood that was produced the preceding
year." This is not the case; for the fruit is
invariably on the wood of the present year.

2d. The next difference is, laying down and
covering the vines all winter.  In our northern
climate this is absolutely necessary; it may
not be so further south, yet it is worth a trial
with a few vines. Prune in October, lay them
down and cover in November or December,
and take them up in March. One season test
the utility or futility of the practice.

3d. Another difference is, leaving the vine its
full length, and training it as high as possible.
This I have never seen, except in my own garden;
but it is the practice in some parts of Italy,
where the vines run over the poplar and 
elm trees.

4th. Most people plant their vines in sheltered
and warm places; this is following the English
mode. where the climate requires it.  Here,
my vines that are most exposed bear equally, if
not better, than others.

5th. No manure has been used for many
years. Its use gives wood, not fruit.

The greater part of the grapes are the sweet 
water, these are the best bearers, and pleasantest
for the table.  The milder grape answers
well for a variety, and is a good bearer. I have
tried the red and black Hamburg, but they do
not succeed so well.  I am now trying to raise
the Madeira grape, having received a few cutting,
which came from that island last spring,
all of which are growing, and shall have a fair
trial.

The borders on which the grapes are cultivated
are six feet wide, and the vines in the centre.

Bland Grape
Extract from the Proceedings
of the Philadelphia
Horticultural Society 
July 6, 1829

A letter to the chairman from Dr. Norton, of
Richmond, Virginia, was read, on the origin of the
well known grape called the “ Bland grape,”
which has been supposed by many to be a native.
Dr. Norton gave satisfactory reasons for our believing
that it was introduced by Mr. Mazzei, who is
known to have come to Virginia before the American
revolution, with the express object of cultivating
the vine on a large scale, and who mentions
his successful experiments in his work entitled
“ Recherches sur les Utats Unis: Colle, 1788 ”

The grape in question was the only one of the
many kinds which he brought over that resisted
the climate, the effects of neglect or rude cultivation,
or that attracted the attention of the natives.
Col. Bland brought a number of the cuttings of this
vine to Philadelphia, in the year 1778, and distributed
them among his friends, and it has since been established
in Pennsylvania.  It is known to be a
great bearer; that the grapes keep well, when properly
preserved in jars, until May, and will even
hang on the vines until near January. They, however,
do not ripen until the first week in October; 
but this circumstance is in its favor as a wine
grape.
        