The Cultivation of The Native Grape, and Manufacture of American Wines — John Shaqi
The Cultivation of The Native Grape, and Manufacture of American WinesHusmann, George
Science
The Cultivation of The Native Grape, and Manufacture of American Wines
Husmann, George
Viticulture -- United States; Wine and wine making -- United States
If wire is to be used, one post every sixteen feet will be enough, with
a smaller stake between, to serve as a support for the wires. Now
stretch your wire, the lowest one about two feet from the ground, the
second one eighteen inches above it, and the third eighteen inches
above the second. The wires may be fastened to the posts by nails,
around which they can be twisted, or by loops of wire driven into the
post. Where timber is plenty, laths made of black oak may be made to
serve the same purpose; but the posts must then be set much closer, and
the wire will be the cheapest and neatest in the end. A good many
grape-growers train their vines to stakes, believing it to be cheaper,
but I have found it more expensive than trellis made in the above
manner, and it is certainly a very slovenly method, compared with the
latter. Trellis is much more convenient for tying the vines, the canes
can be distributed much more evenly, and the fruit and young wood, not
being huddled and crowded together as on stakes, will ripen much more
evenly, and be of better quality, as the air and sun have free access
to it.
TREATMENT OF THE VINE THE SECOND SUMMER.
We find the young vine at the commencement of this season pruned to
three buds of the last season's growth. From these we may expect from
two to three strong shoots or canes. Our first work will be to
cultivate the whole ground, say from four to six inches deep, ploughing
between the rows, and hoeing around the vines with a two-pronged German
hoe, or _karst_. Figure 7 shows one of these implements, of the best
form for that purpose. The ground should be completely inverted, but
never do it in wet weather, as this will make the ground hard and
cloggy.
[Illustration: FIG. 7.]
Of the young shoots, if there are three, leave only the two strongest,
tying the best of them neatly to the trellis with bass, or pawpaw bark,
or rye straw. If a Catawba or Delaware, you may let them grow
unchecked, tying them along the uppermost wire, when they have grown
above it. The Concord, Herbemont, Norton's Virginia, and other
strong-growing varieties, I treat in the following manner: When the
young shoot has reached the second wire I pinch off its leader. This
has the tendency to force the laterals into stronger growth, each
forming a medium-sized cane. On these we intend to grow our fruit the
coming season, as the buds on these laterals will generally produce
more and finer fruit than the buds on the strong canes. Figure 8 will
show the manner of training the second summer, with one cane layered,
for the purpose of raising plants. This is done as described before;
only, as the vine will make a much stronger growth this season than the
first, the layering maybe done in June, as soon as the young shoots are
strong enough. Figure 9 shows the vine pruned and tied, at the end of
the second season. Figure 10 illustrates the manner of training and
tying the Catawba or Delaware.
[Illustration: FIG. 8. FIG. 9.]
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