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
The thrip, a small, rather three-cornered, whitish-green insect, has of
late been very troublesome, as they eat the under side of the leaves of
some varieties, especially the Delaware and Norton's Virginia, when the
leaf will show rusty specks on the surface, and finally drop off. It
has been recommended to go through the vineyard at night, one man
carrying a lighted torch, and the other beating the vines, when they
will fly into the flame, and be burnt. They are a great annoyance, and
have defoliated whole vineyards here last fall.
Another leaf-folder makes his appearance about mid-summer, making its
web on the leaf, drawing it together, and then devouring his own house.
It is a small, greenish, and very active worm, who, if he "smells a
rat," will drop out of his web, and descend to the ground in
double-quick time. I know of no other plan, than to catch him and crush
his web between the finger and thumb.
The aphis, or plant louse, often covers the young shoots of the vine,
sucking its juices. When a shoot is attacked by them, it will be best
to take it off and crush them under your feet, as the shoot is apt to
be sickly afterwards, any way.
The grape vine sphynx will be found occasionally. It is a large, green
worm, with black dots, and very voracious. Fortunately, it is not
numerous, and can easily be found and destroyed.
There are also several caterpillars--the yellow bear, the hog
caterpillar, and the blue caterpillar, which will feed upon the leaves.
The only remedy I know against them is hand picking, but they have not
as yet been very numerous, nor very destructive.
Wasps are sometimes very troublesome when the fruit ripens, stinging
the berries and sucking the juice. A great many can be caught by
hanging up bottles, with a little molasses, which they will enter, and
get stuck in the molasses.
BIRDS.
These are sometimes very troublesome at the time of ripening, and
especially the oriole is a "hard customer," as he will generally dip
his bill into every berry; often ruining a fine bunch, or a number of
them, in a short time. I have therefore been compelled to wage a war
upon some of the feathered tribe, although they are my especial
favorites, and I cannot see a bird's nest robbed. However, there are
some who do not visit the vineyard, except for the purpose of
destroying our grapes, and these can not complain if we "won't stand it
any longer," but take the gun, and retaliate on them. The oriole, the
red bird, thrush, and cat bird are among the number, and although I
would like to spare the latter three, in thankful remembrance of many a
gratuitous concert, the first must take his chance of powder and lead,
for the little rascal is too aggravating. A few dry bushes, raised
above the trellis will serve as their resting place before they
commence their work of destruction, where they can be easily killed.
FROSTS.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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