THE CULTIVATOR. 
29 
GRAPE CULTURE. 
Every bunch of grapes, according to Knight, in the Hort. Trans. 
commences its formation as a tendril, and it is always in the power of 
the cultivator, to cause it to remain a tendril. The blossoms are all 
additions, the formation of which is all dependant upon agents, viz., 
«pon the leaves, which are required to elaborate the food, and upon a 
good exposure to light and heat. Hence the importance of prun¬ 
ing in autumn or spring, to thin and shorten the wood; and in sum¬ 
mer, to increase the exposure of the fruit to atmospheric influence. 
This practice is too much neglected, or too sparingly performed, by 
novices in the grape culture. It is essential to native as well as to 
foreign varieties. It is too common a practice to train the Isabella 
and other native kinds on arbors, and to let the wood accumulate 
as it will, without using the knife, or using it but sparingly. The 
consequence is, that the fruit is lessened, for want of exposure, its 
time of ripening retarded, and its quality sensibly impaired. One of 
the most extensive cultivators of the native grape, Mr. E. H. Bon- 
sall, of Germantown, Pa,, says, that it is his practice, even after 
the vines have attained a full capacity for production—say five 
years from the cutt ing, to cut them in low—his object is to prepare 
them for bearing an average of fifty clusters to each, leaving seve¬ 
ral shoots, from three to foe joints to a vine, for this purpose; and 
that when fresh pruned, they will not be more than four feet high 
at the greatest age. We saw Mr. Bonsall’s vineyard, consisting 
of some acres, in the summer of 1833, and it had a remarkably 
fine appearance. 
In the summer pruning of the grape, let these rules be observed: 
1. Suffer only one shoot, and let that be the strongest, to grow 
from each joint; and if these are very near each other, pinch off 
every other one. 2. When the fruit has set, which will always be 
upon the new growth of wood, and generally on lateral branches, 
shorten the fruit bearing laterals to three or four eyes above the 
fruit, and the laterals not bearing fruit to one eye from the main 
vine. The object of the first is to throw the sap into the fruit, in¬ 
stead of permitting it to become exhausted in the formation of new 
wood; of the second, to preserve the bud at the base of the lateral, 
which is the fruit, bud of the following year; and of both, to prevent 
the too great accumulation of wood and foliage. The main vines 
may soon after be shortened. The extreme buds on the main vines, 
and generally on the laterals, will generally burst, and throw out a 
new growth. These may also be occasionally shortened, without 
prejudice to the vine or fruit. When the fruit has obtained its 
growth, the process of ripening may be facilitated by thinning the 
foliage about the fruit, so as to give it a better exposure to the sun 
and air. 
Tn winter pruning, the laterals may be all cut into the main vines, 
taking care not to injure the buds at their base, and the main vines 
may be shortened to the required length of two to six feet. 
Mr. Bonsall’s mode of training his vines deserves notice as well 
for its cheapness as for its utility—of this we speak from experi¬ 
ence. He sets chesnut posts, at the distance of ten feet, firmly in 
the ground, on the line of his rows. He drives into the face of 
these, at regular intervals, three (we prefer four) stout nails, near¬ 
ly up to the head. He then stretches wire, of the size denominat¬ 
ed No. 11, along the whole line, making it fast at the end, and giv¬ 
ing it a turn round the nail in every post. The posts stand five feet 
above the ground; the first wire is two and a half feet from the 
ground, the second intermediate between that and the top of the 
post, and the third at the top. To these wires the tendrils readily 
clasp, and much labor is saved in tying, while the wires do not in¬ 
tercept the sun from the fruit and foliage. Tinned wire, though it 
costs more, is preferable to the common sort, as it is far less liable 
to corrode. Mr. Bonsall plants his rows seven feet apart, and at 
the distance of four feet in the rows. It should be borne in mind, 
that the richest grounds do not suit the grape so well as those of 
moderate fertility—as the former produce a superabundance of 
wood, and fruit of inferior quality. 
NOTICE OF CORRESPONDENTS. 
Levi Moore, of Cortland, suggests the propriety of planting ap¬ 
ple trees on each side of the highway, in the line of the fence, se¬ 
ven, or ten or twelve feet apart, with a view of converting them in¬ 
to fence post-*, and of using the fruit as hog and cattle food. He 
thinks it would be great economy in the end. 
“ M. J.” will find a part of his queries answered in our last, and 
ihe residue in this number. The crowded state of our columns 
precludes our enlarging no -v upon the subject of lunar influence. 
His ground, as he describes it, is well suited and well prepared for 
flax. We do not think plaster would benefit the crop, and yet we 
advise that he plaster opart, and advise us of the results. 
“ A.” who dates from Salisbury, inquires what quantity of wheat, 
rye, oats, &tc. should be sown on an acre;—and which are the best 
kinds of sheep for him to cultivate—-rather difficult questions for us 
to solve satisfactorily. If sown early, on ground well prepared, 
five or six pecks of wheat or rye, and two bushels of oats to the 
acre, are the usual quantity; if sown late, somewhat more is advi¬ 
sable. Early sown grain tillers better than that which is sown 
late; and so does grain upon a rich, more than that sown upon a 
poor soil. More seed too will vegetate and grow in a well pulve¬ 
rized soil, where the roller is used, than in a soil that is lumpy and 
badly tilled, where the roller is not used. Our “ young beginner” 
should note down his practice, and its results, and he will soon be 
able to adapt, his seed to his soil. The Saxony and Merino are the 
best sheep for fleece—the Southdown and New-Liecester for mut¬ 
ton. They are all advertised in our February cover. 
G. W. Robinson, of Baldwinsville, Onondaga, N. Y., wishes to 
know where he can procure seed and cuttings of the Chinese mul¬ 
berry, (in. multicaulis,) and the price at which they are respectively 
sold. The seed is not to be had in the United States. Those who 
have cuttings will please advise Mr. R. by letter, of the price, &ic. 
PROPAGATION BY LAYERING. 
Fig. 6. 
This mode of propagating is employed to multiply various kinds 
of plants, and in many species and varieties it presents one of the 
readiest modes of effecting this object. The process consists in 
burying a part of a branch, in the earth, in order to have it strike 
root, that it may then be separated from its parent stock, and ulti¬ 
mately become an independent plant. The operation may be con¬ 
fined to a single sprout or branch, or the enlire top, if the size of 
the plant will admit, may be laid; and with a view to produce one 
or many plants. The prevailing nursery practice, upon trees, is, 
to cut off the main stock at the surface of the ground; a number of 
sprouts will spring from the stool, and make a strong growth the 
first season. The spring following, before the sap flows freely, 
the ground is well dug about the stool, and the sprouts are laid; 
'hat is, the shoot, or extremity of the shoot, intended to become a 
new plant, is half separated from the parent plant, at a few inches 
distance from its extremity, and while this permits the ascent of 
the sap at the season of its rising, the remaining half of the stem, 
being cut through and separated, forms a dam or sluice to the de¬ 
scending sap, which, thus interrupted in its progress, exudes at the 
wound in the form of a granular protuberance, which throws out 
roots. In plants difficult to take root, the knife may be drawn up 
an inch from the notch, through the pith, separating thus far the 
two halves. Make then a hole in the dug soil, with a spade or 
wooden spatula, press down gently into it the part notched, three 
or four inches, fasten it there with the forked stick shown in the 
cut, raise the end of the shoot to a perpendicular direction, and 
some inches at least above the surface of the ground, put in the 
earth, and press it gently down. Some layers will become suffi¬ 
ciently rooted the first season, others require two seasons. Plants 
that strike from cuttings, as the willow, grape, currant, gooseber¬ 
ry, he., if notched between the buds, and often without this pre¬ 
caution, and buried, except the extreme point, will produce roots 
at each joint, and a sprout from most or all of the buds. (a) in 
fig. 6, shows a stool with two branches laid, (b) an entire branch 
or vine laid, (c) the stick to hold them in their place. When suffi¬ 
ciently rooted, the layer is separated from the parent stock, and 
planted out, (dd) two laid branches. 
