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A
PRACTICAL TREATISE
ON THE
CULTURE AND TREATMENT
OF THE
GRAPE VINE:
EMBRACING
fTS HISTORY, WITH DIRECTIONS FOR ITS TREATMENT, IN THE UNITED
STATES OF AMERICA, IN THE OPEN AIR, AND UNDER GLASS
STRUCTURES, WITH AND WITHOUT ARTIFICIAL HEAT.
ee
BY J: FISK ALLEN.
THIRD EDITION—ENLARGED AND REVISED.
NEW YORK:
C. M. SAXTON,
AGRICULTURAL BOOK PUBLISHER.
1853.
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1853, by
C. M. SAXTON,
in the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the United States for the South-
ern District of New York.
%
Retry
\
ane
S. W. BENEDICT,
STERFOTYPER AND PRINTER,
16 Spruce street, N. Y¥.
Introduction to the Chirs Edition,
Tue first edition of: this treatise was prepared at the
suggestion of some friends and otber gentlemen; it was
intended for use more particularly in Massachusetts and
the neighboring States. It has had a more extensive
circulation, and, from questions proposed to me from dis-
tant States in this Union, as also by direct request, I have
been induced to prepare a second, and again a third
edition, enlarged by notes of my own, explanatory of the
first, and by copious extracts from such sources as would
present most, if not all, of the various conflicting views
respecting the cultivation of the grape.
In giving the opinions of others, it has been my endeavor
to'embrace as great a period of time as possible, that the
difference in those now held, if any, might be seen; to
attain this object, when by so doing, I could retain the
ideas of those quoted, such parts have been extracted as
contained selections from previous authors. In the re-
marks on these opinions and systems, their bearing upon
the culture, in this country, has been mainly considered,
iv INTRODUCTION.
and they have been made with the object of conveying
information, and not with the idea of criticising them.
Circumstances of climate, or location, may render a prac-
tice successful in one country, that may be highly impro-
per in one differently situated.
In the first edition, it was the plan to give a concise ac-
count of my own practice, as a system to be followed by
others, without giving the reasons therefor. It was well
known, in the vicinity of the city where my residence
was, and where it was presumed this treatise would cir-
culate chiefly, that, for several years, I had been expe-
rimenting upon the different plans recommended, (and
which had caused me so much perplexity in the selecting
of the most suitable for this climate,) in order that I
could fix upon one worthy of general adoption. Tospare
other cultivators this perplexity, very little was said of
soils and manures ; a compost was recommended as suit-
able, and a substitute named, in case the materials in the
former could not readily be obtained. Of the systems of
training and pruning, all that could be of use was given,
and the advantages and disadvantages appertaining to
each were noticed.
In the present edition, it has been my plan to give all
shades of opinion, for every variety of climate; that,
wherever located, some remarks might be found appro-
priate to the situation, provided it is within the latitude
suited to grape culture. My own opinions are fully ex-
pressed, and, as the views of others have been added,
INTRODUCTION. v
also, and wherein we differ freely stated, the reader can
select for his own adoption, that system which recom-
mends itself as the best to his mind.
This treatise is not offered to the public as containing
anything new, but simply as recommending a plan which
has operated well with the author; it is intended as a
guide to the person entirely unacquainted with the grape
culture, and for the benefit more especially of those liv-
ing remote from cities, in newly settled places. This will
explain, why matters, which appear to the experienced
of small account, have been so particularly noticed ; it
has given occasion to some repetition also, but I thought
it best to err on this side, than that there should be any
want of plain explanation of my meaning. Rules have
been given for the propagation of the vine, the planting
out, pruning, training, and other routine duties.
Views of grape-houses, with minute descriptions of the
manner of building and warming them, and every little
matter which could be supposed to occur to one unaccus-
tomed to the subject, have been added.
The subject of soils and manures has received the
largest share of attention; pruning and training, when
compared with the above, are secondary affairs, as the
vine, if well located, in suitable compost, will do well
under any system judiciously practiced. In treating
these matters, I have endeavored to keep distinct the sub-
jects of compost for the border of the grape-house, and
the soil suitable for the vineyard. I have not always
vl INTRODUCTION.
succeeded in doing so, nor is it a matter of much conse-
quence, for what is suitable in the one case, can hardly
be injurious in the other; it is not to be presumed, how-
ever, that the same labor and care will be bestowed on
the preparation of the soil for the vineyard, that one
would give to the border for the grapery. | |
The material of the former edition, which is simply
the details of my practice, is, in this, unchanged; when
necessary, rather than alter the original, notes explana-
tory have been added.
I will state here, as an explanation for any repetition,
or for the want of more system in the arrangement of
the matter, that the work has been performed little by
little, as I could spare an hour from other labors; and,
the present edition being an enlargement of. the former,
the matter now added is introduced where it could best
be under these circumstances.
Sartem, Mass., January, 1853.
Introduction to the Kirst Chition.
Ture are several works published in England, written
by practical men, giving ample directions for the cultiva-
tion of the grape in that country; but the climate of the
Northern States of America is so different from that of
England, that, however well calculated these directions
may be for the latter, they can hardly be expected to suit
the former. The temperature of England is milder, and
is not subject to the great extremes of heat and cold
which weexperience. Thesearching northwesterly winds,
which prevail with us in New England in the winter and
early spring months, with the mercury often at zero, and
even below that point, and the sudden changes we are
liable to, in this season of the year, often equal to forty
degrees in a few hours, render the care requisite, for the
successful forced culture of fruit, very great, and the pro-
cess a more difficult one, im this country, than in En-
gland.*
* Mr. Hovey, in his Magazine of Horticulture, quotes the above passage,
with this remark relative thereto: ‘‘In regard tothe ‘more difficult’ pro-
é
Vill INTRODUCTION,
Do not build a grapery under the erroneous impres-
sion, that, having done so, and planted the vines, you
have secured to yourself, without further labor, a boun-
cess of producing the grape, én this country, the author undoubtedly alludes
te early forcing; for we apprehend that, in cold houses, the process requires
as little care, if not much less, than in England.” I cannot imagine how
any one could doubt the meaning of this expression; for, after mentioning
the extreme changes in winter and spring, the mercury falling to zero,
(which it can‘ never be expected to do when the grapes are growing in a cold
house,) is added these words: ‘‘render the care requisite, for the successful
FORCED culture of fruit, very great, and the process a more difficult one,”
&c. If Mr. Hovey considers growing grapes under glass, without fire heat,
forcing them, he differs from me, in what forcing is. (See Remarks on
Forcing.) ;
The care necessary, is in the regulation of the temperature of the Forcing
House in the daytime, under the particular circumstances referred to. Good
judgment, some experience, and much caution, are requisite in the proper
ventilation of the house at these times. For instance, the mercury, in the
open air, has been, during the night, 5° or 10° below zero; to keep the
temperature of the house at 45° or 50°, at sunrise, you must have the flues,
or water-pipes, hot; as soon as the sun shines, as it frequently does in win-
ter as well as in the summer, with great brilliiancy upon the glass, the heat
rapidly accumulates, and the mercury is soon at 90° or 100°. The tempera-
ture in the open air may be at zero, or from that point up to 20°. Now,
here is the difficulty; if the top lights, or any other ventilators are opened
so as to allow a current of this cold air to flow over the vines, the fruit thus
exposed will perish, and if you suffer this very high temperature, when 80°
or 85° is the highest point you should allow, the vines will be unduly ex-
cited, and consequently very liable to a check, when the temperature falls.
The foliage may not show, at the time, any bad effects from this cold air, but
soon the young bunches will turn yellow and drop. ‘“ What is the matter
with my vines ?” (is a question which is often put to me,) “they pushed very
strong, and showed fine bunenes of fruit, but the most of them have dried
up and dropped.” They have at some time received a check to the flow of
the sap, and the effect of this, in the first seventy days of forcing, will al-
ways be the loss of the crop. Having small ventilators, and opening the
lights but very little, with every precaution that can be used, under the cir-
cumstances, to remedy and prevent the too much heat, and the admission
of a current of the cold air, is the only way to avoid any ill effects from such
gauses. “
INTRODUCTION. 1x
tiful supply of fruit; if you do so, you must be sadly
disappointed.
Probably there is no plant so sure of yielding an an-
nual crop as the grape, under right management; but
this is absolutely necessary, to insure success.
The attempt has been made to give plain rules, which
may be easily understood, and the practical operation of
which can be carried out with as little labor as the
proper cultivation of the grape, under glass, will permit.
The following directions are intended for those who
may desire to cultivate this fruit, for their own pleasure
or convenience, and do not wish to incur the expense of
a regularly educated gardener, and who have felt the
want of a concise and simple explanation of the pro-
cess, and the rules by which these operations of forcing
and of growing grapes, under glass structures, can be
carried out. —
-
The treatment recommended is such as has been found
Mr. A. Forsyth, in a diary of the culture of the grape in a forcing-house,
at Hast Barnet, in Herts, published in Loudon’s Magazine, page 548, vol.
10th, makes these remarks relative to the weather: ‘‘ December the 15th,
weather favorable; the nights often 50° or 52°; seldom under 40°. We
have had only four frosts; the most intense, as low as 26°.” ee”
a id pet ca 5 lek :.
peed Ri co “ae tel
| at E
; i ‘ihe!
Che Culture of the Grape.
SITUATION OF THE GRAPERY.
First in order, and of the utmost importance, is the
situation of the house. It must be so located, that stag-
pant water will not remain on the border, or within reach
of the roots of the vine.
If you cannot avoid building the house where water is
found to stand two or three feet under the surface, then
the soil should be thrown out the whole length and
breadth of the border, eighteen inches deep, and the bot-
tom paved with stone or brick, so as effectually to prevent
‘the roots penetrating through it to the water. Make the
border on this, as directed hereafter; this will raise the
top of the soil eighteen inches above the level of the ad-
joining surface.
20 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
ASPECT FOR THE GRAPERY.
The house should front the south; a slight variation,
provided it is to the east, so as to receive’ the morning
sun, will be no objection.*
In the Gardeners’ Chronicle of 1847, page 734, is an
account of some grapes exhibited at the Horticultural
Show, “raised in the city of London, under a glass case,
without fire heat, in an aspect nearly northwest, and
where they received only about one hour’s sun in the lat-
ter part of the day; they were a small black kind, and
well colored, a fact corroborative of the opinion now en-
tertained, that grapes should be sheltered from the direct
rays of the sun upon the fruit.”
Mr. Hovey, the Editor of the Magazine of Horticul-
ture, does not agree with me, in the opinion before ex-
pressed, relative to the aspect for the grapery. In a no-
tice of the first edition of this work, he says, ‘ Not so,
however, (all important,) the direction, ‘that the house
should front the south,’ or ‘a slight variation, provided it
is to the east.’ If forcing was only to be the object, this
would hold true; but, for the ordinary culture of the
grape, either with or without heat, it is by no means ne-
cessary. In our bright climate, any position but a north-
* Cultivators of the grape have usually advised this position for the front
of the house; several persons, who have had practical experience, would
prefer that it should front south ten or fifteen degrees east, or even south-
southeast.
“Every house for the purpose of forcing or growing fruit should stand
on a foundation naturally dry or effectually drained. As to aspect, the
standard principle is, to set the front directly to the south.”—Abercrombe.
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 21
ern one will enable the cultivator to produce the most de-
licious grapes.” I have houses fronting northeast and
southwest, (of course, with such aspect, the houses are
glass on all sides,) east and west, southeast and northwest,
and the other intervening points of the compass. I have
carefully noted the effect of the different positions, and
can, in the strongest language, recommend the aspect of
south, inclining a little to east, as the best. Southeast is
the next best; and east-southeast is preferable to south-
west. The front of a house exposed to the west winds
(which are our coldest in winter and spring,) is liable to a
very low temperature till the sun suddenly shines upon
it, and then comes a sudden and rapid accumulation of
heat, very prejudicial to the welfare of the vines. I do
not wish to be understood as saying that grapes cannot be
grown in any but just such a position; I know that they
can be; but the care requisite, and the chances of failure,
are greater in ratio as the house in its aspect deviates
from the best position. These remarks apply particularly
to the northern states; in the middle and southern, it may
be advantageous to avoid the great heat of the sun, if it
is intended to grow grapes under glass, and that in such
a position the best aspect for the front of the grapery may
be west-northwest.
THE HOUSE.
The common lean-to house is the best for forcing ; from
thirteen to fifteen feet high on the back, four feet on the
front, and twelve feet wide on the inside, are suitable pro-
92 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
portions; the length of it can be as desired, from twenty
to one hundred feet or more.
The front of the house should be framed, the sills.
standing on, and secured to, stone, or locust posts, set
four or five feet under ground, and eight feet apart, thus
giving the roots freedom to roam at pleasure. The floor of
the house should be on a level with the surface of the
border. The back wall may be either of brick or wood.
If the house is to be used for forcing fruit, it should have
a double wall on the back. A span-roofed house is the
best for a cold grapery.* It should be, above the sills,
on all sides of glass, and of the following dimensions :—
twenty feet wide, and of any length desired; the upright
sides above the sills, six feet high; the rafters should be
* ‘Tn a span-roofed house sixty feet long, the south side glazed, the
north, wood and asphalte, vines will not do well under the latter. Better
glaze the north span; but, depend upon it, you would do better still were
you to add another sixty feet to the length, and so form one hundred and °
twenty feet of roof facing the south, instead of employing the same quan-
tity of glass for a house half the length with a double aspect; and the more
especially, if it is intended for early forcing.”— Gardeners’ Chronicle, p. 696,
Oct. 1846. :
A house of this construction is not suitable for forcing grapes, it being all
of glass, and consequently so open to the admittance of air in very cold,
windy weather, that it is very difficult to avoid such extremes of tempera-
ture as will be injurious to vines. If peaches or cherries are to be forced,
such a house is desirable, and, for many kinds of pot plais, no better can
be had. With respect to the correctness of the opinion expressed above,
that it is better to build a house of double the length; with the same quan-
tity of glass, it depends upon what uses the house is to be put to. As a
cold grapery, and as a house where the vines are aided by artificial heat,
(but not forced,) it is superior in its arrangements to the lean-to house, and,
under the same circumstances, will perfect its crop ten or fifteen days sooner,
and will yield a larger amount of fruit on a given space. It is more liable
to damage from hail aud frost. (See description of one of my span-roofed
houses.)
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 23
twelve feet long; this will make the height of the house,
at the ridge-pole, or centre, on the inside, fourteen feet.
The sills must be secured to stone, or locust posts, placed
eight feet apart, and sufficiently deep in the soil to be tree
from danger of being thrown by the frost. Place the
house fronting south-southeast. You may plant three sets
of vines,—one in the centre, and one on each side. Upon
a house of this description, the sun’s rays will rest from
morning until evening, and the crop will come rapidly to
maturity.
At the time of writing the above, I had a span grapery
twenty-two feet wide on the inside, (see view of this
house,) which had four sets of vines planted in it; at that
time, it was a matter of doubt with me whether or not
the vines were too much crowded; since then, they have
matured a fine crop of grapes, and the fruit on the two
inside sets of vines was fully equal in quality and quan-
tity to those where the roots were in the open border, and
had more room to ramble and extend themselves. The
present summer, these inside vines have upon them a
very heavy crop; each vine having shown from fifty to
one hundred large and handsome bunches. They will not
be allowed to mature more than from six bunches for the
Syrian, up to twenty for the Hamburgh, being only in
the fourth season. When the vines are fully established,
the grapes will hang from the sill to the ridgepole, and
‘present a beautiful appearance. If there is ample room,
I would substitute this house for the one twenty feet wide,
and with only three sets of vines. This house at the pre-
sent time has now been four years longer in bearing, and
the vines continue to do well, the inside ones being allow-
24 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
ed to bear ten to fifteen bunches each, the outside ones
twenty to thirty.
GLASS HOUSES—-HOW CONSTRUCTED.
Glass houses, for horticultural purposes, may be con-
structed in a great variety of forms, to suit the particular
circumstances of the place, or ground where it is to be
located.
It is important to have as little obstruction to the admis-
sion of light, and as little solid wood work, as is consistent
with a proper degree of strength in the frame and sashes
which are to support the glass, as possible. It is also im-
portant, in frigid climates, to guard against the admission
of cold, or the escape of heat; consequently, the ends
and the back, or the north side of the house, are usually
built of wood, stone, or brick. Oiled paper and cloth,
and other preparations on cloth, have been used for cover-
ing the roof, but with no good result; glass is the only
article that can be used to advantage. To admit air,
which is essential to the flavor of the fruit, and the well-
being of the plant, the front lights, or windows, as also
the upper part of the roof-sashes, are made to open out,
or to run on rollers.
The curvilinear roof is approved by many. The fol-
lowing description of some houses of my own, which
answer the purpose for which they were constructed
perfectly well, and the manner of building them, toge-
ther with the cost, accompanied with a view of these, is
deemed sufficient for this treatise.
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 2)
The account of the cost of two houses, built by other
gentlemen, that are so very unlike mine in their dimen-
sions, has been added, as they may be the means of af
fording the information wanted, in some instances.
The following is a description of the plan and the
manner of building of the span-roofed grapery, which is
represented in the drawing as in full fruit, in September.*
This is not heated by artificial means, and is what is usu-
ally called a cold house.
After the border was prepared, ce stone posts were
placed upright, the bottoms of them being three to four
feet deep in the soil, and eight feet apart. Holes are
drilled about one and a half inches in the sides of these
stones, to which the sills are secured by pieces of j iron,
with the head flattened so as to be nailed to the timber,
and the end bent to hook into the hole; the posts should
not be less than six inches square. i coden posts, or
brick piers, may be substituted for the stone ; the former
will soon decay, and, if the latter are used, thos should
be eight by twelve inches; the stones are best.) The di-
mensions of this house are as follows: twenty-two feet
wide; fourteen and one half feet high, on the inside, at
the ridge-pole ; and a little short of ae feet in length.
On the posts are placed the sills, (as above deseribed,)
which are six or eight inches above the top of the
* See frontispiece. “The view was taken from the northwest door, and
Just within the grapery, as the object was simply to give an idea of the
house, and the arrangement of the vines. No attention was paid to the
proportions. This house is now used as a retarding one, and has a furnace
and boiler, with pipes for cireulating hot water, which are used in October,
‘November, and December, to ripen and preserve the grapes.
2
26 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE
ground; to the sill is nailed, covering about two inches
of it and going down two inches into the earth, thick
plank, finished with a bevel, like a water table. This,
from the top of the sill to the earth, makes a solid work
of at least twelve inches, which is necessary, as glass so
near the earth would be very Hable to be broken, and
would also be covered with the soil spattered up by the
rain. In winter, it will be prudent to tack or otherwise
secure above this, boards, one foot in width, to prevent
the breakage of the glass from the ice and snow falling
from the roof.
The sills are of timber six inches square. All the
measurements are after the work is finished.
The timber which forms the support for the rafters,
and is immediately over the sill, and called the plate, is
five inches thick by six inches wide. The studs or up- ”
right pieces, which support this plate, are of plank two *
inches thick by six inches wide, and are mortised into
the sill and plate, and secured by wooden pins. ‘The sill
and plate are carried round the four sides of the house
on a level, and are secured together; this makes the |
frame, thus far, very firm, and prevents the two ends |
from pressing in or out from any cauee. Before the roof.
was put on, the -plate was strengthened and braced, and |
kept in place by iron rods one inch thick and about
fifteen feet apart, which are run through it and fastened |
by nuts, and crossing the house.
A cleat, five eighths of an inch in thickness and one
inch wide, was nailed on the sill, and plate, and studs, |
to form a rabbet for the sashes; these are placed in, from |
|
the outer side, so that the sashes, when closed, are on the
|
|
|
}
—
|
a, THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. oe
same line with the outside of the studs. The corner
posts are six inches square. ‘The height of the studs,
between the sill and the "plate, is six feet one inch.
(They must be made longer, to allow for the part used in
the mortise.) The upright sashes are three feet ten
inches wide, and six feet-one inch long, and glazed with
six by eight glass. The stiles, or side pieces of the
sashes, are two and one fourth inches wide, and one and . .
three eighths inches thick, and the rails, or top and bot-
tom pieces, are two and three fourths wide; the inside
pieces, of which there are four, are one and three eighths
inches wide, and seven eighths of an inch thick; they
are rabbeted to take the glass; they go from top to bot-
tom. ‘here are no cross-pieces used for glazing, but this
is begun at the bottom of the sash, and the next glass
lapped on the first about one fourth of an inch, (not any
more, as it is more likely to break,) and so on, one above
the other; all the sashes are glazed in this manner;
there are five rows of glass to a sash. The sashes are
strengthened in the middle by a piece of iron, one inch
wide and one fourth of an inch thick, which is cut in
even with the surface of the sash, on the inside, and se-
cured with a screw in each stile and inside piece which
supports the glass. These sashes are hung on hinges at
the top, and open out, and are fastened on the inside
with pieces of iron one fourth of an inch thick and one
inch wide. This is about fourteen inches long, and it is
secured to the rail of the sash by a staple; and, to hold
the sash closed or open at any desired distance from two
to ten inches, another staple is driven into the sill; the
iron plate has holes drilled in it, at distances of two
28 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
inches from the one that is made to secure the sash,
when shut, that it can be kept open to allow the air to
enter the house as wanted, in greater or smaller quanti-
ty ; an iron pin secures this plate to the staple. On the
ends, the lower sashes are made like the side ones, but
they are all stationary. (In this house, only every other
one of the sashes are made to open; they can all be so,
if desired.) The sashes above the plate are made to fit
the inclination of the roof.
The roof is formed by rafters made of plank; they
are about thirteen feet long, two inches thick, and nine
inches wide. A strip of wood, the length of the lower
sash, is nailed to the rafter to support this on the roof.
Another piece is nailed on the upper part to support the
other sash; this must be put on in a line with the lip on
the lower sash to allow the upper to run over the under
sash; this lip is four eighths of an inch thick. On the
top of the lower sush is a piece of hard pine for the roll-
ers of the upper to rua over, of which rollers there are
two on each side of the upper sash ; they are of cast iron,
secured to an iron plate, and screwed on the under part
of the stile. The roofsashes are not of the same length,
the top ones being made shorter than the lower to run
up and down more easily, the difference being about two
feet.
The bottom rail of the lower sash of the roof is four
and one half inches wide; the top rail is two and three
fourths inches; the stile is two and one fourth inches
wide, and one and three eighths thick; this is nailed at —
the bottom to the plate, and on the side to the rafters.
In the upper sash, the stiles are the same as in the un-
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE, 29
der, and the rails are both alike,—two and three fourths
inches wide; the inside pieces in both sashes are of the
same dimensions as the upright ones, and, in all, are
bevelled off, instead of a moulding, to about three eighths
of an inch in the center. Both sashes are strengthened
with iron rods, let in even with the surface of the under
part of the wood work, and screwed to each stile and in-
side piece, as are the upright ones; the glass is glazed in
the same way.
The center, or ridge-piece, to which the rafters are let
in and secured, is a plank two inches thick and ten inch-
es wide; the groove for each rafter to rest in is about
three eighths of an inch deep; they are fastened togeth-
er by nails; between the rafters, for the sash to rest on,
is a piece of plank. As the means of lowering or shut-
ting the upper light, or sash, a staple is placed in the
ridge-piece, to which is fastened the end of a line, that
is then led through a side pulley on the sash, and thence
through a standing pulley on the ridge-pole to the floor,
where it is secured... (Or, what is better, have a weight
of six, eight, or ten pounds attached, as may be necessa-
ry.) The pulleys are of iron, and screwed on to the
wood. ‘The finish of the ridge-piece is with a capping of
boards, that are of a width to cover the upper part, or
about an inch of the sash. The wood work of the house
is simply planed smooth, and painted; there are no
beads or mouldings. On the rafters, after the sashes are
fitted in place, to make a finish, are capping boards of
suitable width.
_ Two doors, two feet eight inches wide, are placed op-
50 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
posite to each other at the ends; they are of glass, and
are made like the upright sashes. .
The above is a description of the manner of building
the ends and one side of the grapery; the other half is
made, in every respect, in the same way.
The expense of building this house, including the pre-
paration of the border, which is fifty feet wide, and the
vines, some of which, being rare, cost high, was about
$1,000.
The following is a description of the manner of con-
structing a lean-to house with a room extending the
whole length of it on the back, or north side, to be used
for the furnace, or other purposes. (See cut.)
The sill should be set on posts of stone, (both of which
must be six inches square,) and to extend around on all
sides of the house alike; the posts should be three or
four feet in the earth, and eight feet apart, and the tops’
of them eight to twelve inches above the surface, to keep
the sill from rotting. On this should be nailed a plank,
extending into the soil an inch or two. You may make
the width of, this house twelve or fourteen feet; that is,
the part of it which is to be covered with glass, and the
back room from four to seven feet, as may be wanted.
A partition which is to be made here will require a sill
and posts, in the same manner as the other parts of the
building.
The front plate should be four feet from the top of the
posts, and fonr inches thick by six inches wide; the up-
right sashes, two feet four inches high, and about tiree
feet ten inches wide, and one and one fourth inches
thick, hung on the top with hinges, and made to open
j
}
5
:
a
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 3l
out. The studs which support the plate are to be of a
length proportionate to the sashes, and the wood work be-
low them, and mortised in. The whole finish of the
front, and the make of the sashes, and the manner of
fastening them on the front and on the roof, are to be the
same as detailed for the span house; the rollers on the
windows, and the irons to secure the front sashes, are
made exactly in the same manner, and put on in the
LEAN-TO GRAPERY.
same way. Under the front sashes, there must be about
eighteen inches of solid wood work joining on to the
plank which goes from the sill to the earth.
The rafters should be about seventeen feet long, and
ten inches deep by two inches thick, to be finished and
let into the ridge-pole, in the same way as in the span-
roofed house. The back of the house should be framed,
boarded, shingled, and plastered on the inside. The
382 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
back roof, which is-to decline at a proper pitch, should
be boarded, shingled, and plastered. Under the ridge-
pole must be the studs to support this, and these should
be twelve feet in the clear between the ridge-pole and
the sill, and here should be a double partition of plaster
to separate the front of the house from the back. ‘The
rafters and the ridge-pole must be finished with a cap-
ping board. There are to be two doors, one at each end,
two feet eight inches wide, of glass; the ends are also
best of glass,* and the sashes should be permanently se-
cured. Gutters may be placed under the roof to lead
the rainwater where desired. Solid brick work may be
substituted for the support of the sills, leaving spaces six
inches square for the stems of the vines to be brought
through. The back wall may also be built of brick or
stone, but they would be more costly constructed in this
way.
A. house built, as above described, on stone posts, in
the plainest manner, but of good materials and work-
manship, and well painted, would cost about eight dol-
lars per running foot. The heating apparatus would be
in addition; also, the expense of preparing the border,
purchasing the vines, and the planting of them out. The
cost of the border, and of the heating apparatus, must
vary according to the natural soil, and the purposes to
which the house is to be put.- Making a border twenty-
five or thirty feet wide, and three feet deep, is an expen-
sive work, and will vary from one to two dollars per foot.
The same remark will hold true with the heating of the
* Double windows, or shutters, should be used on the ends, if the house
is for forcing.
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 38
house ; a grapery forced in winter, (that is, in December,)
will, in a severely cold climate, require a very expensive
apparatus; a furnace and flue, for forwarding and pro-
tecting the vines in the spring or autumn, is a simple and
cheap afiair, and the cost will vary, according to the
amount of heat required, from one dollar to three dollars
per foot.
I think ten dollars the running foot is the lowest price
at which a plain grapery, with asimple furnace, can be
built, with vines planted, and all complete; and this cost
can be increased, according to the material used in the
construction of the building, and the finish put upon it,
to twenty dollars the foot. ‘
The following is an account of the cost of a house con-
structed on the most economical principle, furnished me
by a friend residing in a city adjoining Boston :—
“Tsend you the account of the cost of my grapery,
which is thirty-two feet in length, twelve feet in width,
and thirteen feet high on the back, and three feet on the
front; and this front is wood work, supported by wood-
en posts.
“Cost of sashes, . : : . $25 00
Be las : : Aran at
Be OLA ZIN : : ey awk UR)
Poe irae. DaInING, OC... Eo OU
Be) Le, : ‘ : Reruns a4 86
Ba ORURT, , : . 40 00
Whole cost, : ; : . $225 00
“My grapery is placed against the back part of my
QD
384 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
house, which would make some difference in the ex-
pense. I have not included the vines, nor the wires for
the vines to be trained to.”
It will be noticed, that the cost of the back of the
house is saved in this instance. This would vary accord-
ing to the finish and kind of back used; if of the cheap-
est kind, wood and shingles, and plastered on the inside,
with a small furnace room, it might be built for seventy-
five dollars; but, if a room for the furnace and for the
coal was made running the whole length of the grapery,
which would be proper in a cold climate, if the house
was to be used for forcing, the expense would be consid-
erably greater.
The cost of a house of this kind, with the back wail, —
would not be less than ten dollars the running foot, and —
this would include every thing, the vines of common
kinds, and the wires or rods for the trellis.
The price of labor, in different places, would cause
some variation in this sum, and a more extensive furnace
room or building on the rear would add from one to two
dollars per foot to the cost, according to the kind of room
or wall constructed.
The following is an account of the cost of a small
grapery, on all sides of glass, with a brick foundation,
furnished me by a gentleman of Salem :—
‘* All the space which could be spared for the purpose
was seventeen square feet. The house is seventeen feet
in length by nine feet in width. The brick foundation is
eight inches thick, and two feet high, (with four hanging
windows in front, of three panes each, seven by nine |
glass,) on which is placed a sill six inches deep. There ~
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 85
are five rafters, with a corresponding number of posts on
the back of the house, framed into a plate at the top.
The inclined sashes are permanent; the angle of inclina-
tion is fifty degrees. The vertical sashes on the back
side are nine feet in length, The ventilation is from the
back, the ends and the front.
“The border is eight feet wide, well-elevated, fifteen
inches deep exclusive of a substratum of bones, nine
inches deep.
‘“‘ There are five front vines, which are planted on the
outside ; four back vines in the alternate spaces, and one
vine at each end, are planted on the inside. ‘The en-
trance is at the end of the house by a porch projecting
three feet, and containing an inner lattice door for venti-
lation.
“The house would be more airy, and better in every
respect, if twelve feet in width. The border also, if pos-
sible, should have been twelve or fifteen feet wide, which
would obviate the necessity of an annual manuring with
guano, in order to carry ofi the crop well.
‘One hundred and twenty-five pounds of well-ripened
grapes can be safely calculated upon from such a house
as the above, as a permanent annual crop; say five front
vines at fifteen pounds each, seven back and end vines at
seven pounds each. Witha wider border, the front vines
would ripen equally well twenty pounds each.
“Cost of the whole, including vines, preparation of
border, and all expenses, two hundred and seventy-five
dollars; or, about sixteen dollars the running foot. The
grapery is not heated by artificial means.
“This honse is built on a brick foundation, and the
¢
86 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
finish is of the most complete kind; fifty or seventy-five
dollars might have been saved, if desired, in the labor
bestowed on the wood-work.” |
FURNACE FOR HEATING THE GRAPERY.
in remarks on forcing, it has been intimated that the
simple furnace and flue are, at all times, a valuable aid
in the grapery. They are of easy construction, and may
be made of these dimensions, and after this plan.
The furnace should be sunk in the earth so that the
top of it may not be over ten or twelve inches above the
floor of the house. It should be so placed, that the
whole of the heat may be given ont in the grapery, the
door and end being in the furnace-room, so that the
smoke and dust from the fires may not injure the foliage
of the vines. The pit for the furnace should be about
four feet wide, and three or four feet deep, and of conve-
nient length for working the fire. The furnace should be
two feet or two feet six inches wide, and about three feet
in length. The ground should be paved with stone or
brick for the foundation; on this build the furnace, leay-
ing ten inches in height in the centre, and of the Jength
and width of the grate for the ash-hole. (See end view
of a greenhouse furnace.) Nowset the grate, which will
require about two and a half inches of space; build up
the brick work, leaving a space for the fire of about
twelve or thirteen inches high by ten or twelve inches
wide, and two feet four inches deep on the inside. The
door should be of cast iron, and on a cast iron frame,
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. | 37
which should be set in the masonry in building. The
grate endures the heat from the anthracite coal better if
cast in separate pieces, half an inch thick, and two and
a-half inches deep, with two spaces of about an inch in
length, at proper distances from the ends, where the
thickness is three-fourths of an inch, the ends, also, being
of this size. The sides of the fire-place must be built of
fire brick ; the top must be covered, also, with tile, or
brick of this material, if coal is to be used. The tile on
the top should be covered with one or more courses of
brick. My furnaces have five or six, to retain and pre-
vent too great escape of the heat. In the cut, the top of
the firnace is represented as arched; this is not neces-
sary, but it may slope from the front to the back, where
it enters the flue, three or four inches, with benefit to the
draft, At the further end of the furnace, the flue should
commence, and should have a rising of certainly two or
three feet from the grate, to insure a good draft; the flue
should run to the front of the house, and: thence along
this, at the distance of twelve inches from the wall. This
flue should be of brick, carefully made, to prevent the
‘escape of smoke or gas; it may be eight to ten inches
square on the ontside, or it may be fourteen inches wide,
and eight inches deep, and covered with tiles; either
answers perfectly well. If the house is a very small
one,—less than twenty feet,—the flue may return on the
back of the house, and the smoke be carried off by the
chimney near the furnace. If the house is over twenty
feet in length, the better way will be to continue it around
the end to the back wall, and up by a chimney out of
the roof, as represented in the ent of the lean-to house.
38 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
The flue, for the first twelve feet after leaving the fur-
nace, should be built on two or three courses of brick,
(or a stone foundation may be substituted,) from thence
to the chimney either on plank, (which is preferable on
account of dryness,) or on bricks laid one or two inches
apart; one course of brick is sufficient for the floor of
the flue. I usually have the first few feet of the sides of
the flue built with the bricks laid flat, and, after this, on
their sides, as represented in the lean-to house.
HEATING APPARATUS FOR CIRCULATING WATER ON THE
LEVEL PRINCIPLE.
When the house is to be heated with hot water, (which
I prefer when a great and steady heat is required through
the whole winter,) the furnace and flue should be built
and arranged in the same way as detailed in the preced-
ing article; but, instead of covering the furnace with
tile and brick, the boiler will be used. This may be of
cast iron, or of sheet copper, and of proper size for the
furnace. It is necessary to have fifteen or eighteen
inches depth to this, that ample space may be allowed
for the pipes, one above the other, on the side. The
lower one should enter as near the bottom as possible,
and the upper one as near the top. The principle upon
which the water acts is this, that hot water is lighter
than cold; consequently, when this becomes heated by
the fire, it rises to the top and thence to the pipe; the
cold water in the lower pipe comes in to fill the space of
that heated, and the circulation commences, and is more
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 39
rapid when the boiler contains but a small quantity of
water, provided the pipes are always full, which they
must be. But it is essential for a rapid circulation that
ample distance be allowed between the pipes, which may
be from four to six inches in diameter; the lower one
should be arranged first, and supported and kept in place
on a perfect level, by brick or stone. Above this, should
be the upper and warmest one, properly levelled and ar-
ranged. You may place the pipes on either side of the
furnace, but the side next the front of the house is usually
the one considered best; I would recommend four to six
inches for the space between them. I have in my
houses, at the extreme end, a tank containing thirty gal-
lons or more of water, to which the pipes are attached,
in the same manner as to the boiler; but this is not ne-
cessary, though preferable. The pipes may connect at
the end by an elbow, and they work equally well; but a
tank at this place with a quantity of water, which be
comes heated, is of service, as this is the coldest part of
the house. An opening must be provided on the top of
the boiler, or tank to fill these with the water.
THE POLMAISE SYSTEM OF HEATING.
Much discussion has been held of late in England, rel-
ative to this mode of heating green and other honses for
horticultural purposes, and some curiosity has been exci-
ted in this country as to what the system is. The princi-
ple is similar to that upon which many of our churches
and dwelling-houses have, for many years, bedh warmed.
oe.
“IaIg wood YO
GN} SL WOVNUAL SSAOy-NamMry ‘ONILVAY, FO WHISAS SSIVWIO ANY,
——— = —— = ————— SaaS
— == ————— = ===
ag | 1/77
— oe ——— — a tg en ye
Uf,
CRS * | == canes
\ y) CAN y Ler ona aes
‘ Ds ees 5
Me Md \ “ge?
re i , “ ora
x QYy7n WS
et a Uy na ere
AK WN SSSA NS LEG GG(GLFRL G9 ‘\\ \ \ \ ACSA
SSSI WS ASS RSS SSIS
i °
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. Al
It is the same with air as with water,—the heated be-
comes the lighter and ascends; consequently the cold or
heavier descends, and fills the place vacated. |
In the view of the furnace which is given,* the Pol-
maise system is attached, the arrows showing the current
of heated air over the furnace, and the bending one the
rushing in of the cold air to fill the space, and thus the
circulation is kept up while the heat is in the furnace.
The end view shows the hot-air chamber over the fur-
nace; the two dotted places in this are the openings for
the cold air.
The side view shows also the smoke flue and the finish
of the furnace, with a dead air chamber to receive any
ashes that may pass from this and prevent their entering
the flue. One opening in the covering of the Polmaise,
for the escape of the heated air, is shown, and this coy-
ering may be continued as desired, and the heat led by
brick, or copper, or other pipes to any spot desired. In
the hot-air chamber may be placed pans to contain wa-
ter, that the heated air may have the required moisture ;
these can be regulated at pleasure, having more or less,
or none at all, as the state of the house requires. For
instance, in the early stages of forcing, you would re-
quire all the moisture that could be obtained in this way.
Tf, with such an apparatus, a fire was made to preserve
the fruit from frost.or other causes after it was ripe, pro-
bably no moisture at all would be wanted.
* This is copied from the Gardeners’ Chronicle, with some slight altera-
tions.
42 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
POLMAISE SYSTEM ATTACHED TO A FURNACE ALREADY
CONSTRUCTED.
1 have had attached to a furnace already constructed,
(and that has been some time in use,) of dimensions
similar to the one described, a system of circulation of
the air which has proved very successful. It is very sim-
ple. The furnace has been enclosed, on the three sides
within the house, with brick work, leaving two or three
inches of space only for the hot-air chamber on all sides,
and this brick enclosure is continued along the sides of
the flue, (where the heat is great,) for about ten feet.
The whole of this brick work is then covered with stones,
placed two inches above the furnace, and the heat is led
into any part of the house by a brick flue, covered on
the top with stones and closed at the ends, with two
openings near the extremity for the hot air to flow out
on each side. An opening is left, about three inches
square, on the level of the floor on each side in the brick
work that surrounds the furnace, close to the back wall
of the house, to admit the cold air, which commences to
rush in as soon as the furnace and flue become warmed ;
and this circulation continues for hours after the fire has
burnt out, the brick work retaining the heat a great
length of time. The cost of this apparatus was about
twenty-five dollars additional.
ee
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 43°
PREPARATION OF THE BORDER.
The border should be twenty feet wide, for each set of
vines,—if thirty feet, the better,—and two and a half or
three feet deep; If you have but little room, you can
manage to grow very fair grapes with twelve feet of bor-
der; but, in this case, you must not plant the vines so
close together.* The following course is recommended
in preparing the border :—
If the soil is a good loam, begin at one end and trench
it; mark off ten feet the entire width; throw out the
soil two feet deep; if bones, or the carcasses of animals
ean be had, cover the bottom well with them; if these
are not readily procured, slaughter-honse manure may
be substituted ;+ mark off ten feet more of the border,
and cover this manure with part of the soil from it; upon
this, put an inch or two of oyster shells, or old lime rub-
bish, mixed with broken bricks; over this, put some soil
from the border; then a good covering of cow manure;
upon this, a slight covering of loam again, followed with
a good portion of oyster shells, or the substitute; and
over this, a thick covering of stable manure, well rotted ;
finish with a covering of the loam.t The whole length
* See Planting the Vines.
+ See Manures.
{ Drain for the Border.—If drains are necessary, they should be made
after this plan: the main one to be of brick, extending the whole length
of, and on the outside of the border, the bottom of this being covered with
stones not less than one foot deep. On these, every six feet, should be
smaller drains of brick, tile or stone, leading to the main one, and this can
be carried to any convenient point. I have never found it necessary to
form these under any border, stones at the bottom answering every pur-
nose. Very few situations can require them in this country.
*44 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
is to be made in this manner, in alternate spaces of ten
feet each trenchine. After it is finished, the border.
oO >)
should be three feet six inches deep ; it will settle to less
than three feet in a few months; any soil left, after it is
finished, can be carried off.*
Dr. Lindley is of opinion, that. in the draining of the border, the im-
provement is more by the admission of air and heat than by the removal of
water.— Gardeners’ Chronicle, 1847, p. 651.
* The above is the method by which I have twelve thousand square feet
of border prepared.
After throwing out the soil, the materials are placed in the border, and
following each other in these proportions: First, nine inches of the strong
slanghter-house manure, (or the carcasses of animals, or bones, etc.,) four
inches of soil, two inches of shells, four inches of soil, six inches of cow
mauure, four inches 0% soil, three inches of shells, four or five inches of sta-
ble manure, and six inches of soil.
These articles were thrown as roughly as possible into place, and not
levelled; the first manure, for instance, in some places, would be only six
inches deep, and in others, ten or twelve, or more, just as it would happen
to fall from the shovel, the above measurements being near, what they
would have been, if on a level. Avoiding, as much as possible, the form-
ing of layers, which, at first sight, would seem to be the case, but the jui-
ces of the strong manures would be all imbibed by the soil placed amongst
them, and rendered rich accordingly.
In the strong manure, at the bottom of the border, no care was taken to
have the same material throughout; but, as they could be procured, they
were placed in position, as fresh as possible, (before they became offensive.)
Tf the carcass of an animal was had, it was simply quartered, and laid in
and covered with the soil. If the entire skeleton of the horse was had, (of
which there are, in this border, at least forty,) it was similarly placed, as
also the slaughter-house manure; but when, as was the case in some parts,
bones were used which had been boiled, the floor of the border was cover-
ed with these from two to four inches deep, and the freshest cow manure
which could be had was placed to the depth of from two to four inches
upon them, and this again was covered with a like quantity of bones, ‘which
were stuck into the manure in eyery direction, care being taken that they
should not lie flat on its surface; the object in view, being to have as rich
a material in this case, as when the other manures were employed. Some-
times, old mortar and brickbats were mixed with the shells, and used in
connection with them. ;
OO ———
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 45
The proportions recommended for this border, are one-
half loam, one fourth bones, or other strong manure, one-
eighth oyster shells, or lime’ and brick rubbish, and one-
eighth rotten stable manure.
Before planting the vines, the border should be spaded
over, to mix well the top substances, being careful not to
disturb the strong manures at bottom, as these substances,
when decomposing, would destroy any of the roots of
the vine with which they came in contact.
Should the soil be poor, decrease the proportion used
in preparing the border, and, in the same ratio, increase
the manures, or substitute the top soil of a loamy pasture.
If the soil is very poor, or unsuitable for the purpose,
so as to require to be removed entirely, then a compost,
prepared thus, is recommended :—one half to be the top
soil of an old pasture; one quarter to be bones, or some ©
other strong manure; one eighth oyster shells, or lime
and brick rubbish; one-eighth rotten manure; these ar-
ticles thrown together in a heap, and so to remain until
In preparing this border, there was found a difference in the natural soil,
part of it being a very rich yellow loam, several feet deep, and part of it a
gravelly or slaty soil, not more than two feet deep, upon a bottom of rot-
ten rock. The rich soil did not require as much manure as the thin, and
received less, but more shells, and old mortar, and bricks; and the thin
slaty soil recerved more than the above proportions of manures, and less of
the shells, ete. This border is on a hill-side, and these are the extremes
of soils at the top and bottom. Thus situated, there was no occasion for
rocks, or any kind of drainage at the bottom of the border, and, consequent-
ly, none was used. In a border since made, to the above ingredients, I
have added a good proportion of charcoal screenings, and, when they can
be had conveniently, they should always form a part of the compost, as be-
ing valuable, tending to keep the soil porous and light, and, also, as afford-
ing moisture in seasons of drought, and as absorbents of ammonia from the
atmosphere.
46 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
decomposed and amalgamated, when they should be
placed in the border, and thrown loosely together. My
borders, having the most slaughter-house manure, or
whole bones of animals in their composition, still con-
tinue, as they ever have done, to produce the best fruit
and the largest crops.
It is unnecessary to attempt to give rules for every
kind of soil. One must use his own judgment, and make
his border to consist, as near as can be, of the above in-
eredients. He must bear in mind that, if his soil isa
still, clayey loam, he must add freely of such materials
as will lighten and give permeability to it. If the soil
is light, sandy, or gravelly, with the manure should be
added a proportion of clay or of clayey loam. The rich
alluvion soil, abounding in our western and south-west-
~ern States, will not require any of these strong ma-
nures. If anything is requisite to improve them, it must
be shells, charcoal, leaves, small stones, or gravel,—such
materials as will loosen the soil.
if a compost is to be prepared, as is usually recom-
mended by European writers on the cultivation of the
grape, by taking the top soil of an old pasture, &e., and
throwing them into a heap until decomposed, two or
three years are required before the border is in readiness
for the vines ; whereas, by the plan which I have adopted,
the vines may be planted immediately, making’ due al-—
lowance 1 in the Placing ts the vine for its coe awhich ‘
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 47
for many years. What is wanted in a grape border, is a
rich, permeable soil, enduring in its nature, in which the
roots can ramble and spread freely. Too much water
will injure the fruit; a deficiency of moisture will pre-
vent its swelling off properly
The following account of Soils and Manures, as re-
commended by several eminent cultivators, is annexed :—
Speechly recommends “the soil to be one fourth part
of garden mould, astrong loam; one fourth of the swarth
or turf from a pasture where the soil is a sandy loam;
one fourth, of the sweepings and scrapings of pavements
and hard roads; one eighth, of rotten cow and stable-
yard dung mixed; and one eighth, of vegetable mould
from reduced and decayed oak leaves. The swarth
should be laid on a heap, till the grass roots are ina
state of decay, and then turned over and broken with a
spade; let it then be put to the other materials, and the
whole worked together, till the separate parts become
uniformly mixed.
“¢ A garden, and consequently the hot-house, is some-
times so happily situated in regard to soil that it seems,
by nature, adapted to the growth of the vine. The soil
in which I have known the vine to prosper in a superla-
tive degree, without artificial aid, was a kind of rich,
sandy loam, intermixed with thin ci of materials, like
jointed alts or stones, and so very soft in its nature as
almost to be capable of being crumbied between the
fingers. The following extract from Virgil, on this topic,
will be deemed neither inapplicable nor disagreeable to
the soca reader :—
48 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
But where the soil, with fat’ning moisture fill’d,
Is clothed with grass, and fruitful to be till’d;
Such as in cheerful vales we view from high,
Which dripping rocks with rolling streams supply,
And feed with ouze; where rising hillocks run
In length, and open to the southern sun;
Where fern succeeds, ungrateful to the plough,
That gentle ground to generous grapes allow.’
“As the vegetable mould from decayed leaves cannot
always be obtained, by reason that the leaves require to
lie two years before they become sufficiently putrid and
reduced, it may be necessary to substitute some other in-
eredient in lieu of this part of the compost. [Rotten
wood reduced to a fine mould; the scrapings of the
ground in old woods, where the trees grow thick toge-
ther; mould out of hollow trees, and sawdust reduced
to a fine mould, provided it be not from wood of a resin-
ous kind, are, in part, of a similar nature with vegetable
mould from decayed leaves, but are neither so rich nor
powerful. It is very probable that there are various
other kinds of manure, that may be introduced into a
compost suitable for the vine with as much effect as the
former; as blood, the offal of animals or shambles, horn
shavings, old rags, hair, shavings of leather, and bone
dust. This last is exceedingly proper, as, at the same
time that it gives a lightness to the soil, it contributes to
its fertility. J may also add to the former the dung of
deer and sheep, as, likewise, (poudrette) night soil. .But
please to observe, that many, if not all, of the above re-
cited manures will require time to meliorate, before they
can be introduced and incorporated with the other part
of the compost. The dust, or dirt, from roads consists
‘
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 49
principally of the following particulars: first, the soil of
the vicinity ; secondly, the dung and urine of horses, and
other animals ; and thirdly, the materials of the road it-
self, when pulverized.
“ After having specified manures known to be friendly
to the vine, it may not be improper to name some that
seem hurtful to it. Soot, wood ashes, pigeon and hen
dung, would all, I think, be too hot for the roots of the
vine. These are manures that come immediately into
action, and are more properly calculated for top dressing.
Pond mud and moor earth would probably be too cold,
and the latter might canker the roots of the vine, and
therefore, on that account, had better be omitted.
“In the antumn, to prevent the roots of the vine from
being injured by the frost, they should be mulched to the
thickness of three or four inches with strawy manure.
A little very rotten manure may be spread all over the
border. ‘This is to be done the first season after plant-
ing.
“By the end of the second year after planting, the
vines will have extended their roots to almost every part
of the border: and as, at this tender age, the roots are
very liable to receive injury by severe frosts, I would ad-
vise the borders to be covered the thickness of three or
four inches with long, dead, strawy dung. This is to be
removed in the spring; a little of the very rotten may
be permitted to remain, as this, with the addition of a
little rotten cow dung, should be worked into the border
every spring.”
Extract by Speechly from Marshall’s Travels, which he
introduces by saying that he hopes will prove acceptable,
3
50 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE,
as the kind of manure, and the best time of applying it,
are of the utmost importance :—
“My landlord told me, that he had an intimate ac-
quaintance, a vigneron, at Verzenay, who was reckoned
one of the most careful managers in all the country, and
that he would give me a letter to him, requesting him to
give me all the information I desired. This [ readily
accepted, and proceeded to Verzenay, where I inquired
for the vigneron the-landlord at Chalons had written to.
We walked directly into his vineyard, which was dung-
.ng, in trenches made for that purpose. The season for
this, most. approved here, is directly after the vintage,
and to be finished before the winter sets in. It is all car-
ried in on the heads of women and children in baskets,
and they empty their baskets in trenches dug for that
purpose, which are doing at the same time, and others
spread it in the trenches, and cover it with mould imme-
diately. Sometimes the trenches are made along the
center of the intervals, at others, they are dug between
the plants.
“The sort of dung they prefer most is cow dung, that
is, the cleanings of the cow-houses, which are well litter-
ed with straw or stubble for that purpose; horse dung is
also used, but only on stiff soils. They reckon that five to
eight hundred baskets are necessary for an acre of vines.
The baskets, I reckon, hold about half a bushel, and this
manuring is repeated every four or five years. Making
dung is so much attended to throughout all the wine
country, that every means is-used to increase the quan-
tity. Much cattle are kept, especially cows, and housed
as much as possible. These are fed by every means that
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 51
can be taken. Every weed, every blade of grass that
arises, is saved with as much care as the grapes, and giv-
en to the cows. Dung is, however, sometimes laid on in
March, but it is not thought so proper for that work as
autumn. Over-manuring is thought prejudicial. But
this depends onthe soil ; for some lands are so deficient in
natural fertility, that, unless they are manured more than
. commorly, they will not yield a crop; they lay a thou-
sand baskets, and sometimes even twelve hundred on
such.” y
Speechly says that the vine requires “a plentiful sup-
ply of water during summer, particularly in a hot, dry
season.
- “Tt was planted ina good soil by great waters, that
it might bring forth branches, and that it might bear
fruit, that it might be a goodly vine.—Zzekzel, xvii. 8.
‘in hot countries, the vine is said to grow the most
luxuriant in a situation which is near the water, but it is
generally allowed, that the flavor of the grape from vines
in such a situation is much inferior to that of grapes
growing in a dry soil.
‘“‘During winter, I have frequently watered the vine
border with a thick, black liquor, the drainage of the
dunghills ; and, though this practice was intended solely
to enrich the soil, yet it is not improbable but this power-
ful liquor, by being impregnated with saline particles,
may communicate a warmth to the roots of the vine du-
ring the winter, and thereby prove serviceable in that re-
spect also. However that may be, from the uncommon
vigor of the vines, I have been led into a belief of the
utility of this practice. But let me at the same time ob-
52 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
serve, that I have always applied this powerful manure,
(if I may so call it,) with great caution. I have found
the beginning of winter the most proper time for using
this kind of manure; and then I only venture to give
two or three plentiful waterings, fearing that, if this were
to be applied either in the spring or the summer, or even
in too great quantities, it meght tend, from its great
power, to cause the leaves of the vine to change from a
green to a yellow hue. The drainage of the dunghill is
the very strength and power of the dung; for water,
constantly filtering through stable yard dung, certainly
robs it of the mucilage and saline particles with which it
greatly abounds, when newly made; and especially such
dung as has lain a considerable time in the stable, and
imbibed a large portion of the urine of the horses. The
saline particles are increased by the fermentation, there-
fore the first extract obtained from the dung, after it has
undergone its fermentation, may be justly considered as
the essence of the manure.
“ Although soils of different qualities admit of im-
provement by various modes of practice, yet, without the
aid of manure, the farmer would find his utmost exertions
of but little value. And thongh some have endeavored
to prove that the earth, when duly pulverized by the ac-
tionof the plough, does not require manure, (Mr. Tull, in
his New Husbandry, tells us that, where the ground is
properly managed, manure is an useless article; but his
opinion is now generally and justly exploded ;) yet ex-
perience tells us that it is the very life and soul of hus-
bandry; and, when judiciously applied on almost every
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 53
kind of soil, its effects will seldom disappoint’ the expec-
tation of the farmer.” °
By an experienced grape grower.—This person says
the border “should be from thirty to forty feet in width,
~and should be formed of loamy soil, sharp sand, and at
least a fourth part of well rotted horse dung.”—S, A. JZ,
Loudon’s Magazine, vol. 10th, p. 266.
By A. Forsyth.— At the back wall of the grapery,
the soil is prepared to the depth of six feet; and at the
further extremity of the border, (sixteen feet wide,) there
are three and a half feet of soil composed of equal parts
of the following soils: turfy loam, (the top spit of a very
old undisturbed piece of pasture, occupied as a rick
yard,) two parts; rotten dung, one part; lime rubbish,
one part; gritty mud, (the same as road drift,) one part.”
—Loudon’s Magazine, vol. 10th, p. 547.
By Jasper Wallace, gardener to William Forsyth, Esq.,
of Cayton.— The situation for the border, if not natu-
rally dry, must be made so by draining. The best bot-
tom, in my opinion, is one formed of large flat stones got
from the top of alime rock, which is of a nature that
would assist the growth of the vines when they reached
it. The border ought not to be deeper than from two
feet to three feet; as, if itis more, the roots of the vines
will get away from the action of the summer weather,
and the good of the manure that may be put on the sur-
face. I would have the border formed of decomposed
turf and good black earth, with a sufficient quantity of
decomposed cow dung, vegetable mould, and slaked lime,
well mixed by frequently turning it, and which should
be allowed to lie for two years, if convenient.
54 | THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
“With regard to the surface manuring of the border,
as soon as the wood of the vine is fully ripe, it should be
forked over, about two inches deep, with a blunt dung-
fork, and six inches of the best cow dung should be put
on. To supply lignid manure>for the border of one
house, get one bushel of common salt, as much black
soap, and a quantity of the drainings of stable yard
dung, all put into a large cask, and allow it to stand for
a week; after which, mix it with a large quantity of rain-
water, and put it regularly over the border; then put on
as much common earth as will completely cover the
dung, but no more.”—Loudon’s Magazine, vol. 12th,
p. 244. .
Mr. Loudon, in his Encyclopedia of Gardening, after
quoting the composts, as recommended by Speechly,
Abercrombie, McPhail, Nicol, Griffin, and Judd, adds
these words: ‘‘The depth of the border must be regula-
ted, in all cases, by the subsoil, and the climate. Where
the former is moist, and the latter is cold, the shallower
the soil is, the better; on the contrary, where the subsoil
is perfectly dry, and the climate hot, as in the south of
France, the depth may be unlimited.”—Article 3564,
pets.
For the composts for the grape border, as reeommend-
ed by Abercrombie, see soil used by him, Open Culture.
“Fresh, light hazel loam, mixed with lime rubbish;
leaf mould, and a small portion of decayed hot-bed
dung,” is advised by John Rogers, editor of the Fruit
Cultivator, published in London, 1837. |
‘An excellent vine border may be formed upon an
impervious dry bottom, two feet deep, and composed of
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 55
ught, rich, loamy earth, enriched with rotten manure,
ground bones, and lime. It is better to extend the bor-
der in breadth than in depth.”——Charles UclIniosh, Lon-
don, 1839.
Clement Iloare, in an after-edition of his work on the
Grape Vine, recommends that, for winter-forcing, the
vines be planted on the inside of the grapery, and, to do
this properly, he says the soil should be removed froin
the inside of the house, which is to be supported by a
wall of solid masonry on all sides to prevent the roots of
the vines penetrating it to the outside. After the soil is
removed, his plan is to pave the ground with brick, set
in cement, and this space is intersected with brick work,
with openings occasionally, for the roots to penetrate and
ramble. This brick work is te be a support for the
bricks which are to cover the whole, after completion.
The substances, in which the vines are to grow, are bro-
ken bricks, lumps of mortar, charcoal, and bones, in
equal proportions, soakedin urine. His idea is, that these
materials, once moistened and then placed in the situa-
tion prepared as above, can never become dry; that the
moisture of the earth will keep the whole mass sufiicient-
ly supplied with water, and that it never can have an ex-
cess. In planting the vines, the roots are to be carefully
spread out, freed from all soil. It is advised to have two
pieces of woolen blanket, which are to be first soaked in
soap suds, to plant the vines in,—one to be spread on
the bottom and the roots laid on this, and the other to
cover them ; when this is done, cover over with the com-
post above named, and, when the whole is paved over on
the top, the work is complete. This, it will be observed,
56 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
is planting without a particle of soil. I have never at-
tempted to grow vines after this plan, and most surely
shall not; still, it is to be presumed, occasionally, a plant
may succeed. Where the soil is very wet, the plan,
with the addition of one half of good loam to the com-
post, doubtless would do well. In the damp climate of
England, this compost would probably retain sufficient
moisture, and never become dry, as Mr. Hoare says ;
but, in the severe droughts of the United States, in most
situations, the plants would die.
in preparing a suitable soil for fruit trees in general,
De la Quintiney says: “ The best earth for this use is a
sort of rich sandy loam, which may be taken from near
the surface of some rich pasture ground, where cattle
have been fed or fothered, or of some richsheep-walk,
where there is a depth of earth, and if it is mixed with
a little old mellow earth, or the like, it may do well; or
cow or horse dung may likewise do well, if it is quite
rotten, so as to be like earth; but of this a small quanti-
ty, as one part in four or five, and thoroughly rotted.”
Dienas
New earths he also recommends as suitable for trees,
&c.; these he defines as being “such as have never
served for the nourishment of any plant, or else have
been a long time built upon, &c.; likewise, earth from
some rich pasture-ground, of a sandy, loamy nature,
where cattle have been a long time fed, is of excellent
use for most sorts of plants; especially if it has been
thrown up in heaps to meliorate, and has taken the win-
ter frosts, it will be so much the better.” p. 17.
‘ Now since the great defects of earth are too much
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 57
moisture, coldness, and heaviness, also lightness, and an
inclination to parching, so amongst dungs, some are fat
and cooling, as that of oxen and cows; others, hot and
light, as that of sheep, horses, pigeons, &c. And where-
as the remedy must have virtue contrary to the distem-
per it is to cure, therefore, hot and dry dungs must be
used in cold, moist, heavy earths, and oxen and cow
dung in clean, dry, light earths, to make them fatter and
closer. Not that these two sorts, though the principal,
are the only materiais for the amendment of earth; for,
upon farm lands, all sorts of stuffs, linen, flesh, skin,
bones, nails, hoofs of animals, dirt, urine, excrements,
wood, fruit, leaves, ashes, straw, all manner of corn or
grain, soot, &c.; in short, all that is upon or in the earth,
(except stones and minerals,) serve to amend and better
es fy. De
“T look upon sheep’s dung as the best of all dungs,
and most promoting fruitfulness in all sorts of earth. La
poudrette and the dung of pigeons and poultry, I seldom
use,—the one is too offensive, and the other is full of
small insects prejudicial to plants.” p. 31.
*“¢ Vines thrive and produce better grapes in certain dry
grounds than in cold strong earths.” p. 34.
‘¢ When the vines show any diminution of vigor, re-
fresh the roots with dung or soil.” p. 156.
The following articles are from the Gardeners’ Chroni-
cle, edited by Professor Lindley. Some of them are an-
swers to correspondents, who have asked information upon
the points replied to :—
‘Your vine border, covered with frames, should be
well watered with manure water before you begin forc-
58 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
ing, and occasionally till the grapes begin to color.”
1846, p. 680.
“ Soil for the vine border.—Good turfy loam and dung,
with some peat, two and a half feet deep. It will be
better for the vine if no other plants are allowed to root
in the border.” 1846, p. 696.
“Calcareous soil suits vines better than silicious.”
1846, p. 712.
“Turfy maiden loam, made into a compost with bones
and plenty of cow ee will make a good border; but
the situation being very dry, you must take care to vondeh
and water well in summer.” 1847, p. 72.
“X,Y, Z, (Hants,) says: To apply a manure to a vine,
it is necessary to dig a small trench around the roots of
this plant, (which is best done in the autumn, after the
fruit is gathered,) then to apply a bucket of ox-blood, and
pile up the earth over this and around the stem of the
plant.”
“J. B., (lynn,) says: I have collected in barrels the
whole quantity of slops from the house, consisting of
chamber lye, soap suds, &c., and, when the mixture be-
gins to emit an offensive odor, I have saturated the bor-
der with it.”
“J. L. Snow says: You may, with safety, use the
above liquid, ee a if the border be well drained.”
1847, p. 509.
‘¢ In a communication which was read at the Horticul-
tural Society’s meeting, it was mentioned that Mr. Ayre’s
border was made wholly above the surface, and formed
first of a layer of concrete three inches thick, on a slop-
ing bottom, with a line of drain pipes opposite each raf-
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 59
ter; over these were then laid from one foot to eighteen
inches in thickness of brick rubbish, intermixed with
oyster shells and rough bone dust, materials which were
also freely mixed with the soil. The latter was stated to
be turfy loam mixed with leaf mould. At present, the
border is only about six feet wide and abo +t eighteen
inches deep; but it was mentioned that it is intended to
add four feet more to it this autumn, and, when finished,
which will not be for some years to come, it will be
twenty feet in width. It was stated that the great object
kept in view, in forming this border, was to make it po-
rous rather than rich, the latter being left to top-dress-
ings and liquid manure.” 1847, p. 607.
‘“¢ Pigeon manure, mixed with fresh soil, will certainly
improve your vine border.”
‘You may apply manure water any time, except when
the crop is ripening off.” :
‘Large bunches of grapes have been produced on a
vine, of which the roots came in contact with the drain-
age in a court-yard of an inn, frequented throughout the
year.” 1847, p. 624.
““ Bones as Manure.—The researches of the chemist
and the practical testimony of, the farmer having more
fully established the value of bones as a manure, it be-
hoves us to ascertain whether they have been employed
in gardening as extensively as they deserve. ‘The great.
est obstacle to the more general use of bones in garden
ing, as well as in farming, is their undergoing decompo:
sition so very slowly.—J/. Saul, Exotic Nursery, Chel-
sea.” 1847, p. 689.
“ Vinerves at Bishop's Stortford —The borders are ad-
60 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
mirably constructed. The houses are built on the side of
a low hill, with a. gravelly bottom. On the surface of
the natural ground, which was coated with concrete, the
border has been formed three and a half feet deep at the
back, and two and a half feet deep in the front, so that
it slopes from. back to front, where it is rounded off. No
rain can ever lodge there. It was formed with burnt
clay, (the bottom of some old brick-kilns,) loamy turf
from an old pasture, plasterer’s rubbish, hair and trim-
mings of hides (called fleshings,) from the tan yards, and
an enormous quantity of thoroughly rotten stable manure, .
—the last border alone consumed a barge load of forty
tons of such manure. All these materials, after being
thrown together, were thoroughly incorporated. They
form so loose a bed that a stick may be easily pushed
through it to the very bottom. Every November, these
borders receive a good mulching of stable manure, which
remains to rot in the succeeding summer; so that the
surface is always covered by a rich decaying material
which absorbs heat from the sun, and detains the natu-
ral dampness of the border. The vines are managed
upon Mr. Crawshay’s plan.
“‘ These vines were planted in 1843, cut back in 1844,
when each at once made the whole of the single rod that
furnishes the crop. ‘These rods are now, on an average,
five and a half inches in circumference, and run straight
up the center of each light, so that the leaves and bunch-
es are exposed to all the light and air which the houses
can furnish. The fruit produced by this practice is rep-
resented as being very fine, the bunches not remarkably
large, but the berries are said to be beautiful, and the
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 61
fruit equally distributed on the vines throughout the
house.” 1847, p. 683.
“A.B. says: In forming a new border, I should re-
commend the soil to be excavated to the depth of three
feet, not more, but the wider the’border is, the better,—
twenty feet is not too wide. There should be a drain in
front, and the border should slope well to it. I would
bottom with rough sandstone, or some material which
would secure perfect drainage; and I would cover the
latter with thin turf, or peat, to prevent it from being
choked up. As compost, I would recommend one fourth
old mortar, bones, and charcoal,—the bones and char-
coal to be broken, but not too small; one fourth, decom-
posed tree leaves; and the remaining half, the top spit
of a good old pasture, or common, which should have
lain eighteen months in a heap, and frequently turned
and exposed to the frost. The whole being well ineorpo-
rated, fill in the border, taking care to tread as little as
possible.” 1847, p. 685.
‘Jn our opinion, it is doubtful whether any material
like slanghter-house manure is fit for vine borders, Its
effect is to cause excessive growth, and, for a little while,
large quantities of grapes; but the effect is transient,
and plants suffer finally. It is much better to employ
bones, hair, woolen rags, skin, tanners’ fleshings, and
similar substances.. See Mr. Nash’s border, Bishop’s
Stortford.” 1847, p. 736.
Here the question naturally arises, What is slanghter-
house manure? or, of what does it consist? It is to be
presumed that this manure varies very much, in its com-
ponent parts, in different countries, being affected by lo-
Gz) * THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
eal customs.. What I meant by the substance, (and
which I have used in my grape borders, and recommend
as a substitute for the carcasses of animals, or bones,)
consists mainly of theintestines, with the manures which
were in the animals at the time they were killed, all the
heads, horns, and feet of sheep, and a good share of
bones, and other refuse of other animals. The half of
the bulk and weight of the manures has been the heads,
the lower half of the legs, and other bones, with some
flesh, and skin, and hair, etc., upon a large part of them..
Now all these articles are very powerful manures, and
very lasting in their nature, and should not be placed in
the border until decomposed in some measure, or, which
is better, put at the bottom of the border, where the
roots of the vine will find them the second or third year.
A large part of the fleshy matter, in its decomposition,
turns to a liqnid, and the soil near by imbibes this, and
is enriched thereby. These substances, when in this
state of decomposition, if they come in contact with the
roots of the vine, will instantly destroy the part touched,
and this is why I place it at the bottom of the border, to
be there for the future use of the vine, and out of the
way of doing mischief. If this material is to be used as
a top dressing, it should remain in the compost heap till
it is entirely decomposed. I ccnsider it, when placed as
directed, at the bottom of the border, a most valuable
material for the nourishment of the grape vine; but, if
whole bones of animals can be obtained in sufficient
quantities, I give them the preference ; not that.they are
more valuable, but because the slaughter-house manure
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. ” Ge
$s (let it be ever so fresh,) always an unpleasant and dis-
agreeable object.
In countries (as I presume is the case in England,)
where the heads and bones of animals are considered too
valuable to be thrown into the manure heap at the sham-
bles, the most lasting, and, for this purpose, the part con-
stituting the properties for which it has been recommend-
ed are wanting, and it is of no more value than any
other stimulating manure.
“ As some difference of opinion exists respecting the
proper covering for vine borders, I have ventured to give
the material I use, which answers (under the curcumstan-
ces,) as well as any thing I have seenrecommended. At
the first appearance of frost, I cover the border with dry
beech or oak leaves, (two feet or more in thickness,)
newly fallen from the trees if I can get them; cover with
a little litter to keep them from blowing away. In
spring, as soon as fine weather sets in, Tremove the leaves
entirely, fork the border over lightly, and add a nice top
dressing of rotten manure mixed with the best soil I can
procure. 3
“Tn making the border, I have followed Mr. Hoare’s
plan, as far as possible. The foundation is flagged over
with a deep drain running round the outside. I laid on
the flags eighteen inches of broken bricks, lumps of old
mortar, &c., with a little small on the top, in which I put
a three inch sod (grassy side down,) to prevent the com-
post from getting down amongst the bricks. The princi-
pal part of the compost consisted of rich turfy loam, leaf
mould, and rotten dung, with lime rubbish and gravel to
64 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
keep it open, and plenty of whole bones and a Iittle car-
rion to wake it durable-—A Subscriber.” 1847, p. 887.
Renovation of Vine Borders.—After stating that these
must be legion, (if we may judge by the number of com-
plaints,) which require this remedy, and that the cause
mainly is stagnation, it is recommended to enlarge or re-
new the drains, which are supposed to be inefiicient or
improperly arranged, or to have become choked up by
age. There is added: ‘Now even a border made of
loam,—unless what is termed sandy loam,—if two or
three feet in depth, would become in time too much
closed up to suit the natural habits of the vine; how
much more, then, a three-feet-deep border, in which de-
composing organic matter constitutes nearly one half its
volume! Every body knows that this black and fatty
humus,—for such it becomes by age,—does not, in its
own nature, contain sand sufficient to ensure at all times
a speedy transmission of moisture, and to secure permea-
bility to the atmosphere, especially if buried nearly a
yard in depth.”
Here follow directions for introducing drains, and holes
filled with open ‘‘ rubbly matter,” &c., and then this ad-
vice: ‘After these things are accomplished, it would
be well to fork in a dressing composed of lime rubbish,
charcoal, coarse sand, bones, &c., on the surface, not go-
ing deeper than six inches, unless there are no roots in
the way. Finally, the border may be coated over with
three inches of manure from the stable door, if to.spare.
This, however, should only lie from November until
midsummer; it might then be removed, and an inch or
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 65
two of old vegetable soil or decayed linings substituted
in itsroom.” 1847, p. 71.
Vine Borders—By James Duncan, Basing Park, Al-
ton. “Jam now forming a border for the growth of this
plant. J employ a two-horse cartload ot dead lime rub-
bish, with which some brickbats are mixed, and a sack
of half inch bones, (for each vine,) well incorporated with
a loam of very thin turf, taken from an old common;
the whole is covered over with six inches of road scrap-
ings, with which some charcoal will be mixed when tho
vines are planted. The border, when finished, will be
about two and a half feet in depth, and sixteen feet in
width, resting on a substratum of flint stones, slopins;
from the house, and two feet in thickness, so as to afford
effectual drainage; and this I consider a most essential
point in the formation of vine borders.” 1847, p. 205.
Vine LBorders—By Robert Greenfield, gardener,
Tynemouth House, Northumberland. “The bottom of
the border is chalk; on this is laid one foot of rubble
stones, and, upon this, the compost of rotten turf from a
common which has lain undisturbed for fifty years.”
1847, p. 358.
*“* All vine borders, whether early or late, should be in-
stantly covered a foot deep, if possible, with rotting ma-
nures ; this will intercept the departure of the remaining
ground heat, and will contribute much to the fertility of
the vines in the ensuing year. Vines for early forcing,
with outside roots, will soon be benefited by a slight
amount of fermentation in the border covering.” Oct.
20th, 1847, p: 720.
66 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
Remarks on the Cultivation of the Vine-—By James
Hutchinson, Gardener at Cranston Hill, near Glasgow.
After some remarks relative to spur and other systems
of pruning the vine, this writer goes on to recommend
the long cane system as the best. As I have explained
this plan fully and stated the objections to it, I shall not
repeat here his remarks, but shall give what he says rel-.
ative to the temperature of the house and border where
the vines are to be forced. In my opinion, they are well
worthy of careful attention.
“‘T commence forcing about the end of February, or
beginning of March; previously to which, I cover the
vine border, to the depth of ten or twelve inches, with
horse dung of the best quality. Before this dung is laid
on the. border, it should be thrown up in a heap for two
or three days, until it begins to heat properly. It should
then be laid on the border without delay, as its powers
will be greatly weakened by the process of fermentation.
The temperature of the surface of the border will be
raised, by means of this dung, to about 50° Fah., a point
of great importance. It is evidently contrary to nature
to be forcing the vines when the roots are exposed to
cold, or, at least, deriving no warmth to stimulate the
juices of the plants. JI keep the temperature in the hot-
house at about 50° in the morning, at first; and about
55° during the day, if dull weather. If the nights are
very cold or frosty at the commencement of forcing, if
the thermometer is 48° in the morning, Iam satisfied.
This heat is continued until the buds are all broken ; af-
ter which, the thermometer may be allowed to range be-
tween 50° and 55° in the morning, and about 60° during
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 67
the day, if dull weather. In clear weather, from the
commencement of forcing, [ open the upper door of the
furnace, merely keeping the fire in during the day, and
allow the temperature to rise in the hothouse to 70°, 75°,
or even 80°. Were there a continuance of clear weather
at this stage of forcing, 80° would be too- high; but, for
a day or two, it does not matter, although the thermome-
ter should rise to 80° in the middle of the day. This
temperature should be continued during the day, should
the weather be clear, until the first leaves of the vine are
fully expanded, when the temperature may be kept be-
tween 85° and 90° in the daytime in clear weather.
When the vines are in flower, I keep the temperature be-
tween 55° and 60° in the morning, and between 65° and
70° during the day, if dull weather, and about 85° if sun-
shine. After the grapes are set, the thermometer may
be allowed to rise to 90° or 95° during the day in clear
weather. In dull or wet weather, in summer, instead of
kindling fires at night in the ordinary way, I cause the
flues to be heated in the morning in order to raise the
mercury in the thermometer to about 70° during the day,
and allow the fire to burn out towards night. The tem-
perature in the daytime, from the commencement of forc-
ing, should be regulated, in some measure, by the heat
of the vinehouse during the night. For example, if the
house has been colder during the night than I could wish,
I keep up a greater heat than usual during the following
day; and, if it has been warmer during the night than I
consider requisite, I give less fire during the day than
usual ; or more air, according to the state of the weather.
“* Many may object to the lowness of the temperature
68 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
that I have recommended during the night, when the
grapes are in flower; but all the kinds cultivated here,
including the Tokay, Black Hamburgh, White Sweetwa-
ter, &c., uniformly set well with the heat above mention-
red. Indeed, when the nights have been frosty, during
the time my vines were in flower, I have seen the ther-
mometer as low as 52° in the morning, and I never ob-
served that they sustained the least injury by this low
temperature. Too much dependence has hitherto been
placed on the influence of fire heat in the forcing of hot-
houses. The great art is to do with as little fire heat as
possible, and to take the utmost advantage of the heat
derivable from the sun’s rays, consistent with giving a
sufficient quantity of air. The legitimate use of fire
ae eee
heat is to prevent the bad effects of frosts, snows, and —
inclement weather.
“‘T may now say a few words on giving air. In clear
weather it should always be given early in the morning,
and taken away early in the afternoon. Jor exampie,
let a small portion of air be given between eight and
nine o’clock in the morning, and, if the day continue
clear, give more between ten and eleven, and take it all
away at three o’clock. JI seldom let air into my vine-
houses after three o’clock.in the afternoon. If air be ad-
mitted until the house is completely cooled, a large fire
may be necessary to support the requisite temperature ;
and it is evident that sun heat is better and cheaper than
fire heat.”—Sept., 1838.
By the foregoing, it would appear that the plan of
covering the border with heating substances, for the pur-
pose of raising the temperature of the border, was sug-
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 69
gested and practised before Mr. Roberts’s book appeared.*
It differs from his plan in not recommending the con-
tinuance of this heat by renewing of the fermenting
materials, which renewal, in my opinion, is necessary.
Mr. A. Forsyth; in a diary of the culture of the grape,
published in Loudon’s Magazine, vol. 10, page 548, also
gives directions relative to the covering of the border, as
follows :—
“Nov. 25th, 1833. Forked the border about three
inches deep; laid on turfy loam and old lime mortar
about two inches deep; then old hotbed dung, well rot-
ted, two inches deep; the roots being near the surface,
having been planted as shallow as possible. 27th. Laid
leaves on the vine border one. foot thick, and fresh hot
dung one foot: protected the above from rains, &c. by
reed covers, used at other times for pine pits. Dec. Ist.
Fire heat applied. Jan. 5th, 1834. Heat of dung on
the border, 96°. 19th. Heat of dung on the border, 65°.
Feb. 1st. Dung on the border nearly cold. March 12th.
Dung, leaves, &c. cleared off the border to admit sun
heat, &c.; the border was forked over. April 12th.
First berry of the Hamburgh beginning to change color;
border watered with dung water, (dry weather.) May
10th. Grapes exhibited at the gardens of the London Hor-
ticultural Society, for which the large gold medal was
awarded, the berries measuring three and a half and four
inches round.”
I cannot agree with Mr. Hutchinson in the propriety _
* See Mr. Roberts's plan for heating the border, and remarks relative
thereto.
70 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
of his giving fixed hours for opening and closing the
lights for the purpose of giving air. These directions
may be good for a certain house, and very unsuitable for
another. They may be, and probably were, intended as
applicable to a house with a front due south. Now, if
the front should be to the southeast, the house thus situ-
ated would be exposed to a very great heat one or two
hours before the time specified, and, in the months of
May and June, the lights in bright weather would re-
quire to be opened much earlier. Again, if the fronting
of the house inclines to the west, eight or nine o’clock
would be, perhaps, too early. His principle, as applied
to the forcing-house, is correct, but he errs in giving fixed
hours for ventilating the house, when he should have,
substituted the range ot the mercury as a guide. In this
country, in May and frequently in the summer months,
the mercury ranges in the daytime from 75° to 90° in the
shade. At such times, how unsuitable for the welfare of
the vines would be the closing of the windows of the
grapery at an early hour!
Culture of the Vine under Glass—By James Rober ts.
London, 1842.
This lark is very concise, and, for the climate of Eng-
Jand,* unsurpassed in its directions for the preparation
of the border, etc.; yet there are objections to it, par-
ticularly as concerns the cultivation in this country. It
is divided into six short chapters. In the preface, Mr.
* If we can judge from the result of the practice, as detailed by the au-
thor, whose statements, as regards the crop of fruit and its fine quality, are
corroborated by the Gardeners’ Chronicle.
t
r
7?
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. (al
Roberts states “that it has been his study to bring the
vine into a bearing state earlier than what is commonly
practised.”
The first chapter treats of the border; the opinion of
the author upon the different composts as recommended
by Speechly, Abercrombie, Mawe, and others, and his
own plan upon the subject, which is as follows :—
“The borders outside the houses ought to be twenty-
four feet wide, cleared ont to the depth of three feet
six inches upon a bottom of retentive clay, well pre-
pared, with a fall of one foot from back to front. A
‘Inain drain ought to run along the extremity of the
border, one foot six inches deep, with cross drains, in an
oblique direction, leading into it, so as to have perfect
-eammand in draining off superfluous water, which I con-
laider an essential point to attend to, so as to lay thers
dry (more particularly where the climate is humid);
iT then laid upon the bottom thus formed, broken stones
and lime rubbish to the depth of one foot, leaving a
depth for compost of two feet six inches. Upon the
broken stones, every six or eight feet square, I have
placed large limestones, of the same nature as the far-
famed Skipton rock, which I have no doubt contribute to
retain moisture in a dry season, and to facilitate the
drainage in a wet one. The compost and manures I
most recommend, and which I made use of, are, two
parts the parings of a piece of old pasture land, a strong
loam, laid up one year, (or till: the sward is half decom-
posed,) in the form of a potato hod, close covered in
with soil, and never turned ; one part, the turf with four
inches of the soil, of a looser texture, laid up for the
fhe THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
same period, and not turned, as before; an eighth part,
scrapings of the highways formed from limestone, or
other hard material ; and the other eighth part, halt-de-
composed horse or cow dung. Jam not an advocate for
turning over and mixing the materials promiscuously to-
gether, as, by often turning, the compost becomes too
solid, losing a great portion of its fertilizing property by —
such repeated intermixture; and, unless it be of a very
sandy, loose texture, the border will, in a few years, be- |
come impervious both to water and to atmospheric ary
which are of incalculable benefit to the growth of the”
vine. I would recommend the autumn, if the weather |
be dry, to prepare to fill in your border. A month pre- |
vious to filling your border, provide a quantity of car-7
rion, cattle dying by accident, disease, &c., which, Iam =
sorry to say, has, of late years, been too common an oc. |
currence. If you have collected it sometime beforehand,
have it cut into small pieces and laid up in soil, till the
time of using. It emits a very nauseous effluvium, but ~
this must be borne, for this is the pabulwm to produce §
the nectar of Bacchus. When all is ready, and the wea-
ther favorable, proceed at one end of your border, wheel-~
ing in and mixing the materials in proportion as they —
stand to each other in my previous directions, on no ac-—
eount breaking the materials in mixing, but turn them 4
in as rough as possible, adding one good-sized horse or
cow carcass to every ten or twelve square yards, using
caution, and not bringing it to the surface of the border 4
within one foot, as its assistance is not wanted the first —
year. What I have here recommended, is my practice -
adopted at this place, the result of which, I dare pre- —
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 13
sume to say, has surprised all, both gentlemen and prac-
tical gardeners, who have witnessed it.”
Mr. Roberts then goes on to say: “Still, an improve-
ment might be made on this border, particularly where a
cool and humid atmosphere prevails, as it does, to a
great extent, in the northern paris of these kingdoms.
“To obviate this defect, I should recommend, instead
of a border two feet six inches deep, with one huge
stone every six or eight feet square, to put four or five in
the same space, allowing the border, when filled and
settled, to be from fifteen to eighteen inches deep, and to
plant the vines as near upon the surface as possible; you
would then be better able to add a top dressing to your
border every autumn, so as to feed and keep the roots
of your vine near the surface.” ‘
The second chapter treats of the kind of grapes for
the vinery, etc., and of the different methods of propa-
gating the vine; his plan is by the single eye, as fol-
lows :—
“Choose bold, prominent buds, taking two inches of
wood; on each side cut a little sloping, opposite the eye ;
then pot singly, in thirty-two sized pots, using leaf
mould and sandy loam in equal parts,” prepared fourteen
days before placing in the pit. “ When your pit is
ready, having been filled with stable dung and tree
leaves, so as to command a bottom heat of 80° or 85°,
which you can easily ascertain by inserting a Fahren-
heit’s thermometer to the depth of a foot, proceed to
plunge in your pots, which you may safely do, being
rather sparing of water the first fortnight or three
weeks, and never using the water at a lower tempera-
5 4
14 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
ture than the heat of the bed. The temperature of the
pit must not exceed 55° by day, and may be allowed to
fall to 45° in the night, until the buds are in motion.
They will then require the raising of the heat gradually
until it reaches 55° by night, by the time the first leaves
are fully expanded; allowing them ten or fifteen de
grees more by day, or sun heat, keeping a moist temper-
ature, syringing, and shutting up early in the afternoon.
By the time they have grown a foot, or eighteen inches,
they will require removal to larger pots.”
In the third chapter, the method of planting is de- |
tailed, etc. “ For a vinery, some authors recommend
inside planting, with which I don’t agree, except for the
back wall, or for a succession crop, intended to be trained
below the rafters of the roof vines. Presuming your
borders have been made and properly settled, as advised
in a former part of this work, in the month of March or
April, carefully turn your young vine out of the pot,
taking its top through an opening in the sill left for its
insertion, leaving two buds clear inside the house; this
will leave the ball three or four feet from the front of
the vinery. Open the soil opposite to each rafter. Then
proceed to single out the roots with great care, spreading
them out in the fan manner, filling in amongst them
with the compost of leaf mould and sandy loam, keeping
them as near the surface as possible, laying in the young
cane forward to the wall, and not allowing it to be buried
more than three inches. A little water would be of ser-
vice, at the time of planting, in washing in the soil, to
the benefit of the roots, mulching them over with a little
hitter. In the course of a week from the time of plant-
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 75
ing, lay on the surface of the border, over the roots and
stems, stable litter and leaves in a good state of fermen-
tation, to the width of eight feet, and two feet six inches
thick, which will prove of great benefit to the young
plant by putting its roots in motion, and cause that part
. of the'stem that is Zwyered to emit healthy roots in abun-
dance, not employing artificial heat inside, but giving
_ plenty of air, which still continue, until you perceive the
buds in motion, allowing the house to rise to 65° or 70°
by sun heat; syringing the buds and steaming the house,
as the heat rises in the fore part of the day, closing early
in the afternoon, and allowing the house to cool down, as
night ae to 48° or 50°.
“When your shoots have sprung three or four inches,
make choice of the best, and rub the other off. As the
shoots elongate, tie them carefully to the wires, taking
off all tendrils and laterals as they appear. I may be
allowed to say, that the method of pruning I recommend,
to bring a young vine into a permanent bearing state the
soonest, is by single rod, on the spur principle. As the
foliage becomes fully expanded, raise the temperature tn
the night gradually to 60°, as I consider 60° or 65° a suf
ficiently high night temperature for the young vine, in
its first season of growth. The temperature in the day
may be allowed to rise 10°, 20°, or 25° higher, by solar
heat, keeping up a very humid atmosphere. If the heat
of the leaves and litter has begun to decline, work them
up again with some good hot stable litter, covering the
border two feet wider. If the heat at the root can be
maintained at 90° or 95°, your prospects will be the
more cheering, as, by keeping a low temperature in the
76 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
house through the night, the roots of your vines, at that
season, will be in active work, preparing and gathering
food fer the following day.
“‘ As the season advances, your vines will be fast ap-
proaching maturity ; keep your house less humid than
before. If the weather proves open and warm, you may
reduce the manure at the root, taking away the whole as
your vine ripens towards the extremity, as it will have
performed its good offices to your satisfaction; but you
had better leave two or three inches of the shortest dung,
or else lay on a few decomposed leaves, as you will per-
ceive the heat of the dung will have kept and enconr-
aged the roots, on and near the surface of the border.
By the time the wood has attained a good brown russet
color at the extremity, you may prepare them for next
year, as they will bear pruning, though the leaves may
not drop for weeks, any time without danger.
““My practice is, to disbud the cane as soon as the
wood is ripe. You may proceed thus: beginning at the
bottom of the vine, leaving a bud you think is well
placed and_on the side of the shoot, then cut clean out
the two following, leaving the fourth, taking out the
next two, and so on till you reach eight or nine feet in
height, as.to that length the cane must be cut back; pro-
ceed again at the bottom, disbudding the other side in
the same manner, so that, in that length, you will be
able to leave eight or ten permanent eyes, to form fruit-
bearing spurs for the following year, or five on each side.
Having cleared your border of the superfluous manure,
which will be the case by the beginning of July, during
that month and August I keep my border nearly exposed
i
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. ra’
to the full rays of the sun and air, by which means the
majority of the roots having been kept on the surface,
by the heat added as before mentioned, are more perfect-
ly ripened, so that in September I am enabled to give
them a light top dressing (though only the first season,)
of ground bones, loamy soil, rotten manure, and decayed
carrion,—these manures are all, I have proved, great fer-
tilizers of the vine,—covering the whole with an inch or
two of half rotten stable manure, to prevent evapora-
tion.
.“ The vines planted on the inside of the house will re-
quire attention at the root; they want great support as
their foliage becomes fully developed. I make use of
liquid manure, diluted, and clear rainwater, alternately,
but always in a tepid state. JI never allow a vine border
inside the house to be watered with cold water after veg-
etation commences, until the fruit or wood is ripe.”
Chapter 4th. “ Presuming that all has gone on favor-
ably the last season, you may expect a nice sprinkling of
grapes from your young vines only planted one year;
but I caution the tyro not to be anxious in wishing to
produce very early grapes; if too sanguine, he will do
this at the expense, and to the great detriment, of the
future welfare of his young vines. The first, or middle
of March, I consider sufficiently soon to begin forcing,
the second year. A few days previous to commencing,
lay on the border, to the width of twelve or fourteen feet,
good fermenting stable litter and leaves, to the depth as
mentioned for last season. The time your vines will take
to break will be a fortnight or three weeks. (Previous
to forcing, the vines must be washed with a composition
78 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
of soap, sulphur, etc.). I generally keep my vines tied
horizontally along the front until every bud is in motion.
Keep a low temperature in the night, say 45°, till you
perceive them all moving; 15° or 20° higher in the day
will do no harm, by sun heat, syringing them morning,
noon, and night, and keeping a very humid atmosphere.
When the buds are fully broken, tie them up to the roof;
you may raise the temperature gradually in the night, up
to their time of showing fruit, 8° or 10°; the same
by day, observing to keep up a very humid ntrnbap Were. 1
Syringe lightly, and close your house early in the after-
noon. Your vines will now be showing three or four
bunches at every eye left at winter-pruning; by no
means leave more than one bunch on each shoot, and one
on the leading shoot. My practice is to stop the shoot
on the spurs at one eye beyond the bunch, taking off all
laterals and tendrils as they appear. The leading shoot
must be kept neatly tied up, divesting it of laterals, &c.,
as for last season, until it reaches the top of the house;
you may then stop it, leaving a lateral or two to keep it
in check, as well as on each spur, if danger is to be ap-
prehended from the breaking of the natural buds. As
they approach the time of blooming, raise the night tem-
perature gradually to 65° or 68°, increasing the day tem-
perature in the same ratio, keeping the house, when the
vines are in bloom, rather dry.” After the grapes have
set, and are thinned, the temperature of the house is to
be, at night, “ say 65°; and 85°, 90°, or 95° in the day,
with a very humid atmosphere.
“Tf cloudy, cool weather should intervene, keep up 2 a
brisk heat, by stirring well your fires early in the morn-
bn
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 19
ing, and, up to midday, keeping up to 80°, or 85° with a
very humid atmosphere, allowing your fires, or boilers,
to cool down in the after part of the day; it is my prac.
tice to give heat with light, and to reduce it with ap-
proaching darkness. A vine, after vegetation is com
menced until the fruit is ripe, should never receive any
check. We will presume by this time, the grapes are
stoned, and changing color. Again examine your out-
side border; if the heat has much declined, take part
away, adding more fresh in its place, working all well
up together to cause a brisk heat, which should be kept
up till your grapes are nearly colored; by keeping the
roots in a somewhat corresponding temperature with that
to which the top is exposed, shanking and shrivelling
have been discarded, and the effect produced noble spe-
cimens of grapes without a shanked berry upon them,
no matter whether a wet or a dry season. After the -
fruit has done swelling, you may remove the dung by
degrees from the roots, and discontinue the humidity of
the house, keeping up a brisk heat with plenty of air, so
as to color the fruit more perfectly, after which time you
may lower the house by degrees, keeping it cool and
dry.
“Tf, by this time, your wood appears ripe, though the
leaves may not have changed color, you may disbud your
leading shoot, as mentioned for last pruning season,
shortening it so as the joint of two years’ growth may
reach fifteen or sixteen feet; likewise, as the fruit is
cleared, you may prune your spurs, cutting them into
two eyes. Give your border a top dressing, and in all
80 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
other respects follow what was recommended for the pre-
vious autumn.”
Chapter 5th. ‘‘As the season approaches to -start
your young vines, with their wood the growth of two
years, many would object to letting them carry a heavy
crop of fruit, but content themselves with a light sprink-
ling, knowing it to be so adverse to the old-received prac-
tice of managing young vines, and that prejudice having
taken deep root for years in only a moderate soil, is bad
to cradicate. However, it has been my intention in
these pages to point out the errors, and improve upon
the practice, of by-gone times, and I have been able to
show by experience that every success will attend grape-
growers, if the foregoing instructions be implicitly fol-
lowed, and that they will have the pleasure of seeing,
from vines the growth of two years, a noble crop of fruit,
free from shanking or shrivelling, (as has been frequent-
ly witnessed at this place, by many gentlemen, garden-
ers and amateurs,) what is not commonly seen till the
tourth or fifth year after planting. Presuming your vines
were turned out last autumn,* your border renovated,
&e., the middle of February will be soon enough to start
your young canes this season, as it would be very injuri-
ous to them to carry a heavy crop of fruit, and be start-
ed very early. Use caution, begin steadily, and you
will be better able to succeed permanently, and may, in
succeeding years, begin a few weeks earlier each year,
by practising which, you will bring them steadily into a
proper state, by degrees, for early forcing.
* This can never be done to advantage in our northern States.
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 81
** Proceed as before advised, and lay on, to the depth
of two feet or two feet six inches, and four feet wider
than you think the extremity of the root reaches, of hot
stable manure and collected leaves; the leaves will assist
the manure in giving out a more steady heat, and not so
likely to vary with the weather, and, if thatched with
straw or covered with any other lght material, would
retain its heat much longer. Let the temperature at
night be kept low, say 45° or 48°; it may range in the ~
day 15°, 20°, or 25° higher by sun heat, with air, syring-
ing the canes with tepid water three or four times in the
day, maintaining a very humid atmosphere, by throwing
water on the pipes or flues, and sprinkling the pathways.
I caution to work steady, so as to break the whole of the
eyes upon the young wood, (there will be no doubt of
the spurs,) for, bear in mind, you, at winter pruning, left
no more eyes than you absolutely wanted ; therefore, pro-
ceed cautiously,—you cannot afford to leave one un-
broken; if that were the case, they might break the
next season, but they would leave an unsightly and per-
ceptible gap the whole of this year. If all has gone on
well, in the course of three weeks.or a month, your buds
will be in motion, and, as soon as you fairly perceive
that, sling them up to the wires, two feet from the glass,
raising the extremity of the lead within one foot; it will
cause the lower buds to break more boldly: lower the
lead as you see occasion. I generally let the vines re-
main in that position until all the side shoots are stopped,
out of bloom, and want thinning, especially the first
house, as, by that time, there is no danger to be appre-
hended from the frost. Up to the time the grapes are
4%*
82 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
commencing to bloom, keep up a very luumid tempera-
ture by day, gradually raising the night temperature to ~
65° or 68° at the time of blooming, raising the day tem-
perature in proportion. I always keep the house humid
and close from the time the buds have sprung two or
three inches until they are changing color; (when in
bloom they will require to be kept dryer.) I never give
air, after the shoots are stopped, up to the fruit changing
color, till the thermometer attains 80°, and this being a
humid and cold climate, in dull weather I have the boil-
ers worked in the fore part of the day, letting them cool
down in the afternoon, so that I use little or no fire in
the night; but, as [said before, give heat with light, and
allow the house to get cool with darkness, the very re-
verse of the old practice in forcing the vine.
‘As your fruit proceeds in swelling, keep the night -
temperature to the point as stated for blooming, until the
berries are stoned ; you may then raise a few degrees,
but at no period do I exceed 70° in the night. They
will now swell apace; take off all laterals, keeping the
house very humid; you may allow the temperature to
rise, by sun heat, to 90°, 95°, or 100°, or even higher, so
that you keep a very moist atmosphere. Examine your
border when the fruit is stoned; if the heat has greatly
declined, add more fermenting material, for upon this, in
an equal degree as on the temperature of the house, de-
pends the success of noble swelled fruit. Your vines, if
any are planted on the back wall, or otherwise inside the
house, must have every attention paid them.as to mois-
ture at the root, summer pruning, and, in other respects,
be treated as the roof vines. When the foliage is fully
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 83
expanded and the fruit is swelling, they will require
water at the root twice or three times a week, given in
such quantities as reason may suggest, using it in a warm
state along with the drainage of the dunghill. If all has
gone on well, the berries will soon begin to change color ;
be cautious they do not receive a check, to avoid which,
keep up the heat and moisture in the day. As the
grapes approach ripeness, suspend, by degrees, the hu-
midity of the house, keeping up a brisk heat and giving
plenty of air. Examine the heat at the roots at the time
the grapes are changing color; if it has begun to de-
cline, renovate it, keeping up a heat at the roots as high
or higher than the temperature inside the house. You
will see the benefit from this, in the grapes swelling to
an uncommon size, with no fear of that pest, shanking
and shrivelling. After your grapes are ripe, lower the
heat of your house by degrees, keeping it cool and dry,
removing the dung from the roots, as recommended in
previous parts of this work.
‘On the coloring of grapes, we often hear it remarked
that, though perfectly ripe, many are not well colored,
black grapes more than white; the loss of color in my
opinion, is by an over-abundant crop. By the old me-
thod of forcing the vine, it is the general practice in
June to put out the fires, and to use little or none until
September or October; the change may happen at the
time the fruit is changing color; the house is then
lowered in temperature, and kept cool and dry ; by such
practice, black grapes will attain a good color, (if a light
or moderate crop,) subject to shanking, and at the ex-
pense of size; and black Hamburghs no more answer to
84 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
their name, as regards the shape of the berry, than a
Black Prince resembles a Black Damascus; you will al-
ways find that they are small finger, or oval-shaped,
whereas, grown by the practice I recommend, they are
large, and nearly globular. It is quite practicable to
grow fine, noble swelled fruit, and colored to perfection,
to be eertain of which, you must not allow the vines to
carry too heavy a crop, keeping the temperature as re-
commended in all their stages of growth through this
work. In givingan opinion on the defect in the coloring
of grapes, it is not given as the sole cause, for, at the
time I am now writing, I have Hamburgh, Muscat, and
other vines, carrying forty, fifty, and even sixty pounds
weight of noble and good colored fruit, and have never
had a shanked berry on them, though the vines were
only planted three years in April last.
“Pruning. It is my intention, in laying my practice
before the public, to show that single rod and spur-
pruning, in preference to long rod, will bring a vine the
soonest to bear a permanent crop of fruit. We will pre-
sume your vines ready for the pruning knife; the foliage
having shown indications of dropping, you may cut
back your lead to within one foot of the top of the house,
it will give you a little more cane; having disbudded it
some time ago, you will have only left two eyes for
spurs, and the leading one proceed to prune downwards
on the vine, pruning your spurs to two, three, or four
eyes, choosing a bold, prominent eye or bud, (many may
say they look unsightly, but you will be repaid with
noble bunches on that head,) leaving the uppermost eye
tor fruit, cutting clean out the others with the exception
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 8d
of the one at the base, which is to be retained, but on
no account to bear fruit, as it is intended to prune back
to it the following year, so as to bring the spur nearer
home. I must not omit to mention, that [have generally
my bud singled out on each spur at the time I recom-
mend for disbudding the lead, that is, taking off every
bud above and below, (not injuring the leaf,) with the
exception of the one ionded to bear fruit, and the one
above mentioned for wood, the following year. As soon
as the wounds are healed aie pruning, cover every cut
you have made with a little mild paint.
“You will have removed the dung from the roots at
the time mentioned for last season. You will bear in
mind the renovation of the border, and the protection, if
required, from frost.”
Chapter 6th. ‘‘ Presuming the season is again ap-
proaching for the development of your young vines, pro-
vided you started them the latter end of February, last
year, and you wish to have early fruit, you may begin
three weeks or a month earlier, but by no means sooner,
as it will be found the most conducive to their health and
fruitfulness not to break in upon their habits too rashly.
I cannot give, at present, (though I have some experi-
ments in course of trial,) better instructions for the ma-
nagement of this and succeeding years, than by follow-
ing out the comprehensive culture the *whole of the
season as plainly laid down in the foregoing pages, urg-
ing the necessity of carrying out the whole practice as
therein stated, by close attention to which, success will
certainly follow.
“ Conclusion. In this attempt to lay down my prac-
86 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
tice in as clear and plain a light as I am able, I hope I
shall be excused the repetitions, almost unavoidable, on
such a subject. It will be found in plain language and
plain practice, (pirated from no one,) from which I have
had great success. Iam aware that, in presenting these
hints to the public, I expose myself either to the smile
or the frown of the critic; whether he be lenient or se-
vere, I must bear with patience the part allotted me,
and only hope this work may be useful to some of my
readers.”
This is the plan as practised by Mr. Roberts; the rest
of the book consists of the author’s views upon the dif
ferent systems of pruning, thinning, and of propagating
the vine, with remarks upon the border as formerly made.
A description of several kinds of grapes, for early fore-
ing and other purposes, is added, and his own system
praised and recommended as superior to any other.
Remarks relating to Ilr. Leoberts’s System.—From
what experience I have had in fruiting the vine, it is my
opinion that the plant is weakened and permanently in-
jured by allowing it to bear fruit thus early. To show
how this can be done, however, is one of Mr. Roberts’s
objects in writing his book; there is no difficulty, where
the border has been properly prepared, in fruiting vines
the second season after planting; but is it advisable so
to do? My own plan is not to fruit them till the third,
and this, and the following years, suffering but a moder-
ate number of bunches to remain on the vine; by this
plan, and by judicious thinning of the berries, the plant
will be gaining strength yearly, and, if capable of pro-
ducing more fruit than the limited crop you have left to
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 87
mature, the bunches and berries will swell accordingly,
and the weight of the grapes obtained will be increased
in proportion to the strength of the vine, and the fruit
of the colored kinds will be as black as possible, and
the flavor rich, vinous, and delicious, in striking contrast
to that from a plant which has been taxed to its utmost
in its efforts to ripen an over-abundant crop.
A plant of the Esperione variety of the grape, ob-
tained from Messrs. Hovey & Co. in the summer of
1843, grown from a single eye that same spring, and
planted out when grown three or four inches only, made
a remarkable growth; had it been allowed, and had
there been in the grapery room to have permitted it to
have grown, I do not doubt the entire length of the cane
would have been fifty feet ; it was stopped at about thir-
teen feet early in August, and several times cut back
after this, during this month and September, which
caused the eyes on the upper part of the cane to break ;
these produced very large bunches of fruit-buds, which
were cut away in pruning; asecond crop of fruit-buds
appeared on new shoots, which were also cut away, and,
when the foliage was destroyed, the last of October, by
frost, a third crop was on the vines, which had been al-
lowed to remain, and the berries of which were of suffi-
cient size to thin.
In this case we have an instance of a vine which, in
seven months from an eye, would have ripened fruit,
had it been allowed. There was no artificial heating
of the border, and no uncommon care bestowed upon
the preparation of if. The soil used was one-half loam
from the garden, from the spot where the border was
88 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
made, which had been well manured for several years,
the other half was coarse manure from a_barn-yard, —
where horses and oxen were kept; all the litter, and
pieces of cornstalks, (Indian corn,) were mixed with it, —
and it was considered very coarse for the purpose ;, the
depth of the soil was about eighteen inches, and the
bottom covered with rocks, as the situation was a wet
one.
I have frequently suffered vines of the Black Ham-
burgh, White and Grizzly Frontignan, Zinfindal, and —
other sorts, to bear fruit the second year from the eye, -
and have exhibited bunches of the last named variety at —
the rooms of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, ©
thus grown, which have weighed between two and three
pounds. Vines from Europe, after growing one season —
only, have also been fruited, when it has been particularly
desired to prove the correctness of the plant. But, in ©
almost every instance, the vines have been injured by it; ”
the imported ones the most so. |
The border he recommends, should be prepared in a ~
‘different manner from that advised by myself. But it
must be remembered, that, although we have more rain ~
in this country than they have in England, yet the wet, —
cloudy, and foggy weather there is very much greater
than in the United States of America; (the foggy wea-_
ther in the province of New Brunswick undoubtedly —
approaches that of England more nearly). Therefore,
is of questionable utility, the plan of main and. cross
drains. In America, the proportion of bright sunshiny
days is much greater, also, than in England, producing ©
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 89
severe droughts ;* and, as the vine cannot succeed in pro-
ducing superior fruit without a proper supply of mois-
ture, it is advisable to resort to some other method of
avoiding too much wet. This can be done by using in
the border a due proportion of broken bricks, oyster or
any other shells, old mortar and small stones, fine char-
coal, etc.; all these articles have a tendency to keep the
soil open, and to cause the water, when superabundant,
to pass off; they also are porous .and retentive, and very
* In Loudon’s Magazine, page 303, for the year 1833, is a horticultural
diary. By this it appears that, at the place of record in England, the wea-
ther of that year was 152 fine clear days, 83 cloudy, and 130 when it
rained or snowed some part of the day.
At Salem, the average of three years is, 219 fine clear days, 66 cloudy,
80 rainy or snowy, showing the difference, in the United States, of 66 days
more of sunshine, 50 days less rainy or snowy, and 17 days less of cloudy
weather.
Notwithstanding this difference in the weather, the average quantity of rain
which annually falls is greater in the United States than in England; there,
the mean average is 314 inches; in Salem, Mass., United States, 39 inches.
The time of the year in which the grape is usually ripening, under glass
structures, embraces seven months, say from March to November; during
this period, in 1845, there fell, at Salem, 24 61-100 inches: in 1846,
16 97-100 inches; in 1847, 27 49-100 inches. In the month of September,
1847, there fell 6% inches, the greatest quantity in any month; aud the
‘effect upon the grapes was bad, a large part of them suffering from the rot.
In Eneland, there fell, during ‘1845, 23 33-100 inches; in 1846,
2% 71-100 inches; in 1847, 16 25-100 inches, the smallest quantity that has
iallen in any year siuce the present century.’— Gardeners’ Chronicle, 1848,
p. 24.
A great difference is here shown in the year 1847. In seven months of
that year in Salem, there fell 27 49-100 inches, when, in the whole year,
but 16 25-100 fell in England.
The extreme range of the mercury, by a Fahrenheit thermometer, for
33 years, in Salem, Mass., latitude 42° 34’, north, longitude 70° 54’, west,
was, in summer, 101°; in winter, 13° below zero. In Philadelphia, lati-
tude 39° 57’, longitude 75° 11’, in summer, 103°; in, winter, 7° below zero,
90 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
serviceable in yielding to the vine, in a season of drought, —
the desired moisture. These articles should be incorpo-
rated with the soil of the border; not (as advised by this
gentleman,) laid in a mass of one foot depth at the bot-
tom. The material in the compost of the soil for the
border is unexceptionable, and the manner of preparing
it, with the exception of carcasses of animals, which
should be obtained at the time of preparing the border ;
or, whole bones substituted for them. Slaughter-house
manure may be used instead of both of these articles,
when it can be had of a suitable quality, that is, when it
consists mainly of the offal of the slaughter-house,
sheep’s heads, hoofs, &ec., with a good proportion of
bones.
The system of growing the plants from single eyes,
and the manner of planting them in the border, is the
common method as practised by gardeners generally, at
the present time.
Soon after planting the vines commences the operation
of heating the border by manure piled over the roots.
This is relied upon by Mr. Roberts as the great good.
The necessity for this artificial heat does not exist in the
summer months in the United States, nor in the southern
states at any season. A great objection to it is the ex-
cessive stimulus to the plant from such a quantity of
manure, which must be kept up every year, (after the
vine has become accustomed to it,) or the plant will lan-
guish and cease to yield its fruit. In England, it unques-
tionably has, thus far, worked well; but, by this plan of
heating the border, the roots are spreading with rapidity,
and it seems inevitable that the time must come, when
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 91
the roots ‘have so extended themselves, that they will
suffer for the want of further protection.
Where grapes are grown under glass on an extensive
scale, it would be difficult to obtain fresh stable manure
in sufficient quantities (in most parts of our country it
would be impossible,) to make it practicable, and the
expense of so doing would be more than the value of the
crop would warrant. In the vicinity of large cities, and
occasionally in other localities, this manure may be ob-
tained cheaply, and in sufficient quantities for the pur-
pose; where this is the case, the objection to it, on the
score of expense, is obviated.
- A grapery one hundred feet long would require a
border one hundred and ten feet in length and twenty-
four feet wide. As, by Mr. Roberts’s plan, the border is
to be covered with this heating manure and leaves four
feet beyond where the roots of the vine extend, and two
and a half feet deep, in a few years, or as soon as the
vines have become established, it follows, that the enor- »
mous quantity of 65,5%, cords of manure would be re-
- quired, to cover in this manner, the border where the
roots are now presumed to have extended themselves;
thus, one hundred and twenty feet long, twenty-eight feet
wide, and two and a half feet deep.
In our cold winter, I found it necessary to renew the
- heat by adding one fourth part of the new manure, and
working it in with the old, every three or four weeks.
On a border to a house winter-forced, that is, where fore-
ing commences in December, this quantity of manure
would be doubled by the renewals. It is true that you
would have about half the original bulk of the manure
92 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
in the summer for other uses, but much of the strength —
of it will have escaped by evaporation, or have been ~
washed into the earth; and where labor is so high as it
is with us, the cost of working and making this heat,
and removing it after the fruit has ripened, will be very
nearly equal to its value.
The cost of this manure at Salem, Mass., is $4.50 the
cord; the expense of carting, from 50 cents to $1.00 per
cord, according to the distance it has to be carried ; mak-
ing the whole cost of the quantity required as above, in
round numbers, $700.
On the rafters of a house of this length of border,
which is to be winter-forced, eight hundred pounds of —
grapes would be a VERY LARGE AVERAGE |
crop. On the back wall of the house, but §00 pounds.
which would not be affected by this heat 267
on the border, one third of this quantity ——
would be as much as could be relied upon, 1067 pounds.
and this is more than is usually produced
in most graperies; but my experience warrants me in
placing it at about this amount.
To judge of the practicability of the plan, a short cal-
culation will be necessary :—
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 93
Cost of manure for the border, . : $700 00
Interest* on the forcing-house, at a cost of
$15 the running foot, 100 feet, cost
$1500, at six per cent., : : : 90 00
Annual breakage of glass and other wear,
furnaces, &c., 4, . ; : ‘ ‘ 60 00
Cost of fuel, ; : : k : 70 00
Labor on fires, watering, manuring, trim-
ming, and thinning grapes, . . : 200 00
Whole cost of the crop of grapes, . °$1120 00
The value of the crop of grapes, 1067 pounds, would
not net the producer more than the cost, and the proba-
bility is, that there would be a loss to him. > 4
>»?
100 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
glass, in a cold grapery, which is now suffering from a
change in the temperature of 40° in the daytime, and
10° or 15° in the night.
The Catawba grape, a native variety, is so subject to
shanking under glass, that, were it desirable to cultivate
it there, it would not be practicable.
If the grapery, though not intended to be forced, is
provided with a furnace and flue, or the Polmaise system
of heating is introduced into the house, to be used when
occasion inay require it, (and there is nothing to be ap-
prehended from this evil excepting when the grapes are
changing color and taking their last swell,) there will be
no danger of any serious loss of fruit, provided every
other care is given to the house and crop as directed.
But where the house is not provided with the means of
artificial heat, promoting a free circulation of air in,
bright days, by throwing open freely the doors and win-
dows, and keeping as low a temperature as possible in
warm weather, is the safest mode of procedure. The
desire to ripen the fruit early, causes the house to be
kept warmer than prudence dictates. In our climate,
we are not always subject to this pest; when the month
of September is dry and clear, we escape altogether.
Every conceivable reason has been assigned as the
cause of shanking and shrivelling of grapes, by different
gardeners, and as frequently a certain remedy has been
recommended ; still, the evil exists. The term shanking
is used when the stem of the bunch is affected, and shre-
velling when only the footstalk of the berries is attacked.
As this is the worst enemy the cultivator of this fruit
has to contend with, I shail, in their own words, give the
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 101
opinions of some practical people, extracted principally
from Loudon’s Magazine :—
Vol. 10, page 19, a writer thinks it caused by too great
heat at night.
Page 267, an experienced grape-grower thinks it caused
by damp, and recommends a good fire in the daytime,
and to give abundance of air, to expel it, by which means
the moisture evaporated is carried off.
Page 137. Mr. J. D. Parkes, F.H.8., Nurseryman,
Dartford. “A variety of causes have been assigned for
that disease in forced grapes which produces a shrivelled
appearance in the footstalks of the bunches, more espe-
cially in the Frontignans and Muscats. Some consider
that it proceeds from the roots being too deep in the
ground; others think that it is occasioned by the temper-
ature of the earth in which the root grows (when vines
are planted outside the house) being so much lower than
that of the atmosphere within; and some attribute the
disease to a want of air.
‘Having observed that early-forced grapes are, in gen-
eral, free from this disease, and that it never occurs to
grapes grown in the open air, and having found, in a
house under my care, that some bunches immediately
over a steam-pipe were free from it, I have come to the
conclusion that the cause is stagnation of cold moist air;
and the remedy, the application of artificial heat, to such
an extent (even in summer, when the weather is cloudy,)
as to admit, every warm day, of opening the windows
sufficiently to occasion a free circulation of air. A gar-
dener, to whom I stated this as my opinion of the sub-
102 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
ject, has practised my plan, every year since, with the
most complete success.”
Vol. 11, p. 493, the same author remarks: “ In the
paper sent you and printed in vol. 10, page 187, you
omitted to insert what I think the most important mat-
ter. In the paper alluded to, I considered it was from
the footstalk of the berry not being grown sufliciently
firm and hard, which I believe is the only cause. If the
grape is grown in a humid atmosphere, it elongates the
footstalk, and causes it to be of a slender, thin, delicate
texture, and, in case of a sudden change, even for a short
time, the footstalk is easily affected. When this injury
takes place, as I believe, from the delicacy of the foot-
stalk, the sap ceases to circulate in the manner required.
I think this disease may be remedied by keeping the
early-forced grapes with less humidity in the house than
some use when the crop is young, which helps to elon-
gate the footstalk. In later grapes, if there were more
air admitted, or artificial heat kept up in cold damp
weather, either would remedy the disease; but, as I sta-
ted in my former paper, give air and artificial heat at
the same time. As Iam making this second attempt.to
impress on the mind of the reader that the cause is real-
ly in the footstalk, I can and will advance a few things
to make it more evident.
“IT was asked this season, by a gardener, what I would
say to a vinery being left a little open all night at top;
my reply was, I had not tried it, but I would not hesi-
tate in saying it was more likely to do good than harm.
He said that there were the finest grapes in a house so
treated that he had seen all the season. I was asking a
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 103
gardener, about Christmas, how his grapes had done this
year; his reply was, Very well; I adopted your plan,
(except one light, which I could not move,) giving plenty
of air. The grapes under the light, which I could not
move, were not so good as the others. Ina house I had
this disease take the crop, with the exception of a vine
at the end, where the steam-pipe entered, producing a
great and drying heat; and there was a door, with a
ventilator over it, heck all aided to keep off the disease.
This vine alone was always free from it: this speaks for
itself. Perhaps many may think I am too sanguine on
this subject; but should 1 be right in my opinion, and in the
ineans of producing a remedy, I shall be vain enough to
think I have done some real good. Should any person
really find the correctness of it, | hope they will do me
the favor to acknowledge it in your magazine, which
will be attended with some good; and should it be fairly
proved my idea is wrong, I invite the same insertion
from those who may have proved it to be so; but let
them give it more than one trial, and fair ones, for I
lave no desire to mislead.”
Vol. 11, page 603.‘ Having been troubled with the
shrinking or shrivelling of grapes, more or less, for seve-
ral years, 1 am determined to add my testimony to that
of Mr. Parkes, that some good may be effected by leav-
ing air in the house all night, &c. &c.” This writer
agrees with Mr. Parkes in the plan of giving air,as the
remedy, but does not admit that the length of the foot-
stalk can be the cause.
Vol. 12, page 244. Mr. Jasper Wallace thinks that
“‘the principal cause of the shrinking of grapes is owing
104 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
to the ROOTS BEING OVERHEATED and not haying sufficient
moisture, when planted in the inside border.”
Vol. 18, page 261. Mr. J. Robertson, Nurseryman,
says: “There has been much discussion in your maga-
zine on the cause of, and remedy for, the frequent shriv-
elling of grapes, about the period of ripening, in stoves
' and vineries. Being unluckily privileged, by my own
ill success, to offer an opinion, I must attribute it, in my
ease, (for I think it may proceed from various causes,) to
their being enveloped, at that season, in the warm, hu-
mid atmosphere generally maintained in stoves.
“In my former communication on the shrivelling of
grapes, (vol. 11, page 603,) I fancied I had hit on a plan
that, in some degree, prevented the footstalks of the ber-
ries from turning black, but now, after another year’s
practice, chance, as it, often does, has thrown in my way
something which I never could have discovered without
it. Iam convinced, that too moist an atmosphere is not
the cause of the shrivelling of grapes, but that it arises
from the inability of the vine to provide a sufficient
quantity of nourishment for the berries. The inability -
of the vine to provide for its fruit may arise from differ-
ent causes, such as overcropping, the foliage being too.
crowded, &c.”
Vol. 16, page 598. By W.H., (Mosely Hall.) “Sev-
eral articles have appeared, at different times, in the
Gardeners’ Magazine, on the shrivelling of grapes. I
have tried every one of them, as they made their appear-
ance, but without the least success. In Dr. Lindley’s
Theory of Horticulture, article Bottom Heat, it is there
stated that the cause is, that, the roots being in a colder
. THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 105
medium than the branches, the supply of sap is consum-
ed quicker than the roots can furnish it, and this brings
on the disease. Dr. Lindley, every one must allow, is
very high authority ; still I doubt this being the cause of
the blacking of the footstalks, which is the disease that I
particularly wish to refer to. I have the management of
three houses in which grapes are grown. One, I begin
forcing the first of January, one, the first of February,
and one, the first of March. The first house ripens its
_ fruit in May, the second in June, and the third in July.
In the first and second, there shall be no shrivelled ber-
ries, in the third, if the weather is cloudy, there shall be
a great many. The covering is taken off the borders
about the beginning of April, and, if the coldness of the
borders was the cause, [should suppose that those which
ripened in May and June would be more subject to the
disease than the July one, for the earth undoubtedly
gets warmer as the summer advances. I -have been a
grape-grower for more than twenty years, and, during
that time, the disease has particularly engaged my at-
tention, as I have always been more or less subject to it,
and I am fuily convinced that it is caused by the borders
being made too rich and stimulating, and by a deficiency
_of light. My borders are all prepared in the same way,
and of the richest materials, and the one that I com-
mence forcing in March produces foliage of the most
luxuriant description; those large leaves require more
light to elaborate the sap than smaller ones, and, if light
is deficient, the sap is not properly prepared for the
healthy nourishment of the fruit, and this brings on the
disease. I have known vineries where borders have
5*
106 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
been made inside of the house, and vines planted against
the back wall, and borders made outside, and vines
trained up the rafters. The grapes upon the back wall
have, every one of them, shrivelled until the vines upon
the rafters had been shortened so as to admit the light
upon the back wall, and then the grapes have done well,
plainly proving that want of light was the cause, and not
the want of heat in the border. In early forcing, I have
covered one half of the border with hot dung and leaves,
two feet thick, the other half, six inches, and I never
could discover the least difference in the growth of the
vines inside, or in the fruit. The larger the leaves are
the more Jight they require to assimilate and decompose
the sap; and this, in my opinion, is the reason why early
forced vines do not shrivel, their leaves scarcely ever
being more than half the size of those begun in March,
and the light in May and June is commonly greater than
that of July, which is, in general, a dull and showery
month. After trying everything that I had seen recom-
mended as a remedy, and feeling fully convinced, in my
own mind, that want of light was one of the causes, I
thought I would try what effect proportioning the heat
to the light would do. This I have practised for several
years, and with a success beyond my expectation.
In dull weather, I keep the house cool, and, when the
grapes begin to color, if the weather is warm, Ileave the
top and front lights a little open, so as to keep up a re-
gular circulation of air in the house night and day ; and,
if the weather is cold and wet, I shut the front lights,
and a little fire is made in the front flue so as to cause
the air to circulate, but nothing like forcing is atterapted.
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 107
By this simple mode of management, I have so far con-
quered the disease, that, instead of losing half the bunches,
I now only lose a few berries here and there in some
of the bunches, and a few at the points of some of them,
but not any of any consequence. I never expect to get
entirely rid of it, as the great fault lies in the forma-
tion of the border. We consider the vine to be a gross
feeder, and therefore think that it is impossible to make
the border too rich, but this is certainly a great error.”
Vol. 17, page 45. By Robert Wilson, Gardener.
“There has been so much discussion on the shrivelling
of grapes, that I make bold to give my humble opinion
also, more especially as J consider our friend W. H. (vol.
for 1840, page 598,) not altogether correct in thinking
that the shrivelling proceeds from the border being too
rich and stimulating. Crowded foliage will be injurious,
as far as preventing free access to light and air. Nor do
I acquiesce with ‘our learned friend Dr. Lindley, in sup-
posing that it proceeds from the roots being too cold for
the internal atmosphere. I had vines under my care at
Edgerston, in Roxburgshire, in the spring of 1837, when
the thermometer stood at 13° out of doors, and the inter-
nal atmosphere was 72°. ‘The vines were planted on the
outside of the house, with their stems wrapped up with
moss, and the border mulched. They were planted in a
compost of strong hazelly loam, formed from the swarc
of a pasture thoroughly decomposed, and one fourth ve-
getable mould of decayed tree leaves, one sixth of gooc
rotten horse and butcher’s grub dung, and a little shee;
dung, with a moderate quantity of powdered bones anc
lime rubbish. The borders were frequently watered wit
108 ‘THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
liquid manure water from the drainings of a dunghill,
and we never had a shrivelled grape during the three
years I was there; and these grapes have never failed
taking the first prize for the best flavored bunch at the
Jedburgh Horticultural Society, for many years past;
and there are vineries in this neighborhood that have
borders not above three feet deep, upon a gravelly bot-
tom, which have not been renewed this fifty years, that
have had abundance of shrivelled grapes in them every
year lately. I think the foregoing remarks prove that it
is neither the coldness nor the richness of the border that
is the occasion of the shrivelling. Now, in my opinion,
damp, stagnant air is very much if not altogether, the
cause of the shrivelling of grapes after they commence
their second swelling. If there should not be a free cir-
culation of air in the house, they will shrivel, and, if the
weather be wet or cloudy, they will not do with Mei
forcing. Iam certain, from experience, that W. H.
Sumi correct as to the air, and keeping a dry ies
sphere.”
Vol. 17, page 47. Another writer says, “ Never thin
out the berries until the seed is formed, and let the berries
touch and press each other close when ripe;” this, he
says, will prevent all shanking. r
Vol. 17, pages 47 and 48, 3 W. B. says, want of food
is the sole cause, and “this deficiency of nutriment
might arise from various causes, but, undoubtedly, the
principal one is a bad border; under which head, I in-
clude not only poor hungry soils, that are incapable of
supporting a plant in vigor, but those deep and narrow
pits of rich earth in which vines are generally planted,
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 109
and even borders of proper dimensions, if the subsoil is
wet and the drainage imperfect. Depend upon it, the
most essential condition in vine culture is a border so
constructed as to insure a ready passage of superabund-
ant moisture in the wettest seasons. The young fibrous
roots of vines are exceedingly tender, and soon rot when
soddened in cold wet soil; consequently, the plant, be-
ing thus deprived of its mouths, may starve in the midst
of plenty. According to the extent of the injury to the
roots, so will the fruit suffer. On the same principle,
(deficient nutrition,) over-cropping will produce the same
result, even when the roots are in a healthy state.”
Any quantity of extracts might be added to these, but
the above are sufficient to show the extent of the disease,
and the principal reasons assigned for its cause by prac-
tical men. The Frontignans and Muscats are more sub-
ject to the evil than any other varieties, and the cause in
these cases undoubtedly often may be, injury to the roots
from too much moisture: for these vines will not suc-
ceed in any situation but where the roots can be kept
dry, at the approach of the period for the maturation of
the fruit. Nor will they succeed thus situated, unless
they have a free circulation of hot air around their tops ;
and, when the fruit, is ripe, this circulation of air must
be continued, and attention given to keeping it as dry as
possible, otherwise the fruit will soon decay.
In conclusion, it may be, in my opinion, thus summed
up, that shanking or shrivelling is a disease peculiar to
the grane in its culture under glass structures, caused by
a deficiency of nourishment, which deficiency is occa-
sioned principally by a defective atmosphere in the house,
110 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
causing stagnation in the flow of the sap; and this diffi-
culty may be increased, and the spread of the evil pro-—
moted, by various causes,—stich as a poor border, general
weakness of the vines, overcropping, and chiefly by not
paying due care to the ventilation of the house. Where
the person in charge of the grapery has command of ar-
tificial heat, by following, to the letter, all the directions
given by me for the culture of this fruit, and constantly
causing the temperature of the grapery to be as directed,
he will have little to apprehend from this trouble.
If it is intended to plant vines, to be trained on the
back wall, the soil, on the inside of the house, must be
prepared, as directed for the border on the outside.
If figs are to be planted, the same border is recom-
mended.
Peaches do not require a rich border, and, for them,
the natural soil will be suitable.
To improve a poorly made, or exhausted border, ina
house already built, where the vines do not succeed well,
the following process is recommended as best adapted to
cure the original defect :—
In the spring, have the border covered with two or
three inches of lime rubbish, or oyster shells; let this be
forked into, and well mixed with, the soil; after this,
have the whole border covered, two feet deep, with fresh
stable manure,—the newer the better; the object being
to cause a strong heat above the roots of the vine, thus
drawing them to the surface. Thisshould remain on the
border two months, when it may be removed. It is pro-
bable, the young roots will have penetrated the border,
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. Lin
and be growing in the under part of the manure; if so,
these must not be injured, for, if they should, the benefit
expected from the operation would be lost; when it is
found that this is the case, that part of the manure must
remain on. After removing the manure, the border
should have a top dressing of three or four inches of
well decomposed cow or hog-pen manure.
PLANTING THE VINES.
In planting, which is the next operation, open a hole
sufficiently wide to admit the roots being spread out to
their entire length; care must be taken to spread out all
the roots separately, without injury to the small ones,
and do not let them overlay or interfere with each other;
make the soil fine, and cover them with an inch or two
of it; with a rose watering-pot, settle the soil and roots,
by giving them a thorough watering; finish covering,
and do not water them again.* They should be planted
* T recommend the planting of vines for the crop of fruit on the back
wall as being the most likely to give satisfaction; for, although they do
not give as large crops as the rafter vines, yet they yield better fruit than
the peach; the fig does well thus situated. When the house is strongly
and early forced, peaches and cherries do not succeed; the fruit of the
latter, if it was sure, would be desirable, but it requires more air in setting
than is good for the grapes.
“ Vines do better with their roots inside the house than outside, if well
managed, and nothing placed on the soil in which they grow.— Gardeners’
Ohronicle, p. 680, Oct. 1846.
I am willing to admit, that vines do as well, thus planted, when as it is
said, they are “well managed,” but they require more care in watering,
ete. J am not willing to allow that they do better, and never would advise
the rafter vines to be thus placed, unless they can roam at pleasure in the
142 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
about three inches under the surface, and three to four
feet apart; if the border is only twelve feet wide, five
feet is near enough, or, if very large bunches and grapes
are desired, without regard to the quantity produced,
they should never be nearer together than four feet, be
the border narrow or wide. If the house has been built
on posts, as directed, let the head of the vine, after plant-
ing, be three inches from the front, on the inside,—the
roots being on the outside. If the vines are planted in
the fall, they should be cut back to three eyes imme-
diately ; but, if planted in the spring, they must be al-
lowed to grow until the shoots are one inch long, when
rub off ail but the three lower shoots.*
VINES FOR PLANTING.
The vines for planting should be in pots, and one or
two years old; before planting, they should be kept
quite dry a few days, as the roots are more easily sepa-
rated.
If the plants are growing, leave off watering them
until they begin to droop, when you can plant them out;
the risk of injuring them will be lessened, and the free
open border; when the vines are planted on the inside, the roots will
grow with rapidity, and push as straight as possible for the border outside
of the house; thus proving that they prefer to be under the influence of the
full effects of the sun, air, and rain upon the soil.
Do not shake the vine after planting, as sometimes advised; it can do no
good, and will probably break some of the rootlets.
* If the border is in a suitable condition, the vines do equally well when
planted at any time after the fall of the leaf. If they are in pots, I know
of no reason why they may not be planted at any season of the year.
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THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 158
upon it, and the tobacco allowed to mirnadibch,.< causing
smoke and not heat.
CULTURE IN THE OPEN AIR.
The mildew at the north, and the rot at the south, ren-
der the cultivation of foreign varieties of the grape, in
the open air, in this country, almost useless. The diffi-
culty is not with the season; this is long enough to ripen
many kinds, were it not for the above trouble. I have
seen, in my garden, the Early Black July perfectly color-
ed the first of Bastia ; but the leaf was so injured by
mildew that the grapes did not sweeten, or obtain any
flavor.*
In some of our cities, they occasionally ripen very
well. If it is desired to make the attempt, the border
should be made with care,.in the same way as directed
for house culture; they may be trained by any of the
systems described ; prune them, and thin the berries in
the same manner as if in the house.
The Pitmaston White Cluster, Early Black July, Gold-
en Chasselas, and Esperione are recommended as the
best for cultivation in the vicinity of Boston; further
south, the Black Hamburgh and Frontignans may be ~
added to the list; and south of 40° north latitude, the
* Application, to the foliage of the vine, of sulphur, in a free manner, is
the only effectual remedy of which I can speak practically ; other remedies
have been recommended, such as lime, ashes, etc., to the soil. Apply the
sulphur early in the morning when the leaves are wet, and renew it as
often as the rain washes it away.
156 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
Muscat of Alexandria and other late sorts may be tried.
The August Muscat is the earliest of any grape, and can
be tried, as if may be worthy of cultivation when the
vine becomes strong.
In November, the vines must be laid down and well
covered with straw, or litter, to protect them from the
frost, when cultivated in the northern states.
In Hovey’s Magazine of Horticulture, vol. 12th, is a
communication by Mr. J. W. Russel, gardener to Horace
Gray, Esq., on the cultivation of the grape, in which he
gives the following receipt to prevent mildew. Having
found the application of sulphur to the floor of the house
all that was necessary in cultivating the grape under
glass, I have never used this preparation, but, for their
cultivation in the open air, I would strongly advise its
trial; it should be applied in July, or earlier, if there is
any appearance of mildew on the fruit, wood or foliage.
Receipt— To one peck of quick lime, add half a
pound of sulphur; put them into a tight barrel, and
pour boiling hot water over them sufficient to slake all
the lime, and it will be found that the sulphur is mixed
with it in the best possible manner; then pour on to the
top of it three gallons of soft water, and stir it well to-
gether, leaving it to settle; in about twenty-four hours,
the water on the top will be perfectly clear.
‘This should be taken off as clear as possible, and put
into a stone jar, there to remain until wanted. Half a
pint of this mixture will be sufiicient for three gallons of’
water. |
“This wash will not injure either the fruit or leaves,
and no person could tell that any thing but clean water
'
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 157
had been used, only that it leaves a stain on white paint,
which will wear off in a littletime. This is asure reme-
dy for the mildew, and, therefore, worth knowing to
every grape cultivator.”*
The Isabella, a native grape, succeeds better in the
open air than any other variety in this vicinity; the
border should be well made, and in a dry situation ; the
training must be different from that of the foreign kinds;
it will not bear the severe priming which is necessary for
them; the summer shoots should be tied to the trellis;
leading up or out, in different directions, shoots to be
partially retained, at the winter pruning, for the exten-
sion of the vine. In August or September, cut back the
ends of all the shoots made this year to check the growth,
and let the sun and air have access to the vine. Winter-
prune, in February, on the spur system, leaving addition
-to the extreme shoots of about two feet of the new wood,
and when this cane grows too long for the trellis, cut it
back, at the winter pruning, to any length desirable, and
lead up a new shoot the coming season to take its place.
The quantity of fruit that a vine of this variety will
ripen, when it has arrived at maturity, under proper
management, and is favorably situated, is remarkably
large; two bunches on a spur may be allowed to ripen ;
the berries do not require the thinning that foreign ones
do; the small ones only should be cut out.
When gathered in perfectly dry weather, and put
* Prince’s Treatise on the Grape contains this receipt, and it is there
stated, that the application of it, in the garden of Capt. Smith, of Newport,
R. L, to the Chasselas grape, was attended with success. The material
part left, after drawing the clear liquid off, may be used for washing the
wall, or trellis, upon which tho vine is trained.
158 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
away in a cool place, just above the freezing point, and
packed in layers of cotton, they will often keep good un-
til March. Before packing, each bunch should be ex-
amined, and any defective berry cut out.
The Catawba will not ripen as far north as Boston.
Pond’s Seedling is one of the best native varieties ;
the fruit, however, is but seldom seen, and it is therefore
presumed to be a shy bearer.
Bland’s Virginian will not ripen at the north.
Elsinburgh is too small to be worthy of cultivation
The Ohio grape is tender, and, at the north, requires
the same protection as foreign kinds; the bunches are
large and long, but the berries very small.
The vineyard cultivation of the native varieties of the
grape, in the United States, is attracting more attention
yearly. On the banks of the Ohio River, the planting
is increasing rapidly, and on the hills near Reading, Pa, -
are vineyards for the purpose of making wine.
The first attempt to grow the vine in our western coun-
try, to any extent, for the purpose of making wine, is
generally credited to a party of Swiss, who commenced
their operations at Vevay, on the Ohio River. Accord-
ing to Mr. Longworth, it has not been successful.. This
gentleman is interested in this culture, and by statements
of his in Downing’s Fruits and Fruit Trees of America,
he had, in 1845, seventy acres planted with vines, and
divided into fourteen vineyards, under the management
of Germans and Swiss. Mr. Longworth recommends
the Catawba as the best variety for the west.* The Enu-
* I am informed by the vineyard growers of the grape on the banks of
the Ohio, that the Catawba is now regarded as the best wine grape.
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 159
ropean kinds have not succeeded with him. The follow-
ing are his remarks: “The grape requires a good soil,
and is benefited by well-rotted manure. For aspect, I
prefer the sides of hills, but our native grapes would not
succeed well in a dry sandy soil, particularly the Cataw-
ba. The north sides of owr hills are the richest, and I
believe they will, as our summers are warm, in the ma-
jority of seasons, produce the best crops.
“Deep ploughing is the better preparation of the
land for the vines. Where a hill is steep, trenching and
walling, or sod-terracing, 1s necessary.
“We generally leave six feet between the rows, and
use the plough, setting the plants three to four feet apart,
and training them to stakes about six feet high.”—
Downing’s Fruits and Hruit Trees, page 251.
It has been considered of sufficient importance to give
the views of European cultivators and others, at length,
upon the vineyard systems of culture pursued there.
The American kinds of the grape, requiring a different
plan of pruning, will render many of the practices, par-
ticularly the close pruning (in summer,) and planting of
the vines, impracticable here ; still, the remarks on ma-
nures and soil, and details of some of the plans of train-
ing, will be worthy of notice by American grape grow-
ers.
First comes the exposition. It is the established opin-
ion, in vineyard culture, that the best fruit is produced
where the vine receives the most sun, not upon the fruit,
but upon the foliage. Prince says, “ Theibaut de Ber-
neaud remarks, that an eastern aspect would be prefera-
ble to all others, if it did not expose the plants, during
160 THD CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
the first warm days of spring, to be blasted by the burn-
ing rays of the sun operating upon the small icicles, each
of which acts asa lens. A southern exposure (he con-
tinues,) is generally too hot in a warm climate, and a
western one is least to be desired, as the plant there re-
celves a direct heat after the early hours of the day have
abstracted the moisture, and, therefore, dries and burns
it; and he recommends, as a general rule, that, in south-
ern regions, an eastern aspect should have the preference,
and, in northern ones, that asouthern exposure should be
selected.”—Prince’s Treatise, page 46. ;
Yet there are exceptions to these rules. Vineyards
with northern exposures have become celebrated, proba-
bly owing to favorable circumstances of soil. In the
southern part of the United States, it will be best to try
every situation, as the retarding of vegetation a short
time might be the means of saving the fruit, either from
being destroyed by a late frost, or from excessive rains,
at the time of inflorescence, or from rot, caused by too
much wet, at a later pericd.
The plan pursued by American horticulturists in vine-
yard and garden culture, in some instances in their own
language, is described, and as it appears settled from
these accounts that our native grapes (different varieties
succeeding in various sections of the country,) answer
every purpose of vineyard culture, there does not appear
to be any occasion to try any others, excepting on a small
scale for the dessert.
Mr. Hoare says, ‘In the choice of a good aspect,
therefore, shelter from high winds, and those aspects
that are the least exposed to their effects, and that receive
>
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 161
a full portion of the solar rays, may be deemed the best.
The best aspects in the southern parts of England are
those that range from the eastern to the southeastern, the
last of which may be considered the very best. The
next best are those which follow in succession from south-
east to south. An aspect due south is undoubtedly a
very good one, but its exposure to those strong winds
which frequently blow from the southwest forms a great
drawback. The remaining aspects are those which range
successively from due south to due west. These are all
good ones provided they are sheltered, or partially so,
from the destructive effects of the high winds above men-
tioned. North of the western point, the maturation of
the wood and fruit of the vine becomes uncertain. East
by north is a-very good one. North of this point, the
solar rays are not sufliciently powerful to mature either
the wood or fruit.”—Zreatise on the Grape, by Clement
floare. 1887.
Chaptal says, “That the middle of a hill side pro-
- duces the best wine, the upper part the second best, and
the bottom of the hill the most inferior ;” showing, appa-
rently, that the middle location contains the essential
nourishment required, that, in the upper part, there is a
lack of this, and at the foot of the hill there is either
too much of it, or too much moisture. 5
Monsieur de la Quintiney says of the Muscat grapes,
that they “require a temperate country and the exposi-
tions of the south and east, and always a light ground;
we seldom see any good in pure earth, and, if it be in
hot climates, in gravelly and sandy grounds.” Page
229.
162 . THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
The Penny Cyclopedia says of the aspect: “On the
steep slopes of hills towards the south, and sheltered
from the northeast, the grapes attain the greatest matu-
rity, and the vintage is most certain. So great an influ-
ence has a favorable exposure, that in the same vineyard
the greatest difference exists between the wine made
from one part and that made from another, merely be-
cause there is a turn round the hill, and the aspect varies
a very few degrees. A change of el produces a similar
effect. The famous Rhine wine, called Johannisbergh,
when made from the grapes which grow near the castle,
is worth twice as much as that made a few hundred
ee farther off. Here both soil and aspect change.
he Clos de Vougeau, which produces the finest Bur-
gundy, is confined to a few acres; beyond a certain wall,
the wine is a common Bur erie good, but without ex-
traordinary merit.”
At Bourdeaux, a southeast exposure -is preierred, and
in Germany, generally, a southwest; in some places, a
northern exposure is thought si: as the danger from
late frosts is less.
Chaptal is considered as the best French authority on
the vine. His object, in his Treatise on the Grape, was
to promote the improvement of the quality of the wine,
and to discourage the use of manures, as one of the
main causes of this inferiority. The practical ideas of
this treatise are mostly attributed to the Abbe Rosier, of
whom it is said, “that, retiring to the home of his
fathers, he, for a long time, practised agriculture, not
only studying all previous systems of vine culture, but
comparing the old with his experience, the local practices
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 163
with the laws of natural philosophy, to bring the cu'ture
of the vine to its highest state cf perfection was his par-
ticular object.” In the introduction, he asks, “* Why is
it, that so large a number of the wines of France, for-
merly celebrated, are now fallen into discredit? Why,
these wines should be of so ordinary a quality, whilst
those of another district have acquired and preserved a
merited reputation? On reflection, we cannot attribute
the difference entirely to the situation, the climate, or
the soil. Is it not, then, to the little cere of the cultiva-
tors, to the following of a blind routine, or to the ignor-
ance of the laws of nature, or to the preference that is
given to vines that abound in juice of a gross nature,
above those which produce wines of a better quality ?”
Page 6.
“The laws of vegetation, regarding the vine, will show
you that a-rich soil will produce the most vigorous shoots,
but that the sap thus communicated from the vine to the
grape would not be sufficiently elaborated; the wine
would be insipid and weak. It is necessary to diminish
the vigor of the vine to obtain a wine of good quality ;
to do this, the soil best suited for the purpose must be
selected, the best plants, the perfect maturity of the fruit
must be attended to, and the most favorable time for the
vintage. From chemistry, he must learn the elements of
wine, and the manner to direct the fermentation, etc.
He must follow nature ; in all his operations, she should
be his study; he should be tractable to her lessons; she
alone never deceives.” Pages 7 and 8, introduction.
“Jn France, it is only necessary to cultivate the shel-
tered hill-sides, and soils granitic and calcareous, or
164 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
sandy, and generally the poorest, such as are not suit-
able for pasture or grain.” Page 29.
‘The earth, the most suitable for vegetation in general,
is that composed of a mixture of flint, of clay, (alumine,)
and of lime, in such proportions as readily to imbibe
moisture, and so to retain it that it may be constantly
and insensibly evaporated by the warmth, giving enough
nourishment to the plants until a renew ba rain has again
filled the reservoirs. When there is too much aridity,
the plants become weakened and soon die. To constitute’
a good vegetative soil, it is not sufficient that barely the
top layer of earth shall be thus composed ; it must be of
good depth.” Page 197.
“In time, the good soil will wear out, become ex-
hausted, ee one cannot hi ope to reap a continued advan-
tage, diese by depositing, from time to time, new prin-
ciples of nourishment,—of oxygen, of. hydrogen, and of
arbon. These can be found in proper quantities in the
manures of animals, and decompused vegetable matter.
One may also usefully employ certain. minerals, not as
manure, but as a rectifier: for instance, fossils and marl,
which, from the effect of moisture and heat, ferment anil
cause the small lumps of earth to separate, and render
the whole mass more permeable to the substances which
form the sap.” Page 198.
“The nutritive principles required from the soil, for
the cultivation of the grape, are the same as those nen
as requisite for Beethrad cultivation; but when there is
not a sufficient supply of moisture, the vine will not pros- ~
per.” Page 219. |
“The kind of earth regarded as the most suitable for
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 165
the cultivation of the vine varies with the climate in
which the culture of this plant is introduced. We do
not speak here of the superior layers of soil, which
would make such an assertion hazardous. Experience
has demonstrated, that, in the southerly (meridionaux)
depgrtments, the vine flourishes in volcanic earth, in the
(freestone) grit, and in the granitic gravel, mixed with
vegetable earth and with some clay | Galeeeie Towards
the centre of France, they succeed in the schistes, (slaty)
and above all in the calcareous rock, which crumbles on
exposure to the air. At the north, they prefer the coarse
gravel combined with calcareous to But everywhere
you may make use of collections of earths and stones
(almost monstrons,) of all kinds, provided that the mass
be permeable to water, and retain but little moisture.
All agree that an essential quality for a good earth for
the vine, is, that it should possess a mixture of quartz,
of flint, and coarse gravel. The rays of the sun pene-
trate these stones and furnish warmth during the day,
and distribute it to the plants by night. This is not all:
in earths exceedingly porous, they yet serve, by the effect
of their solidity and quantity, to diminish the too rapid
evaporation of the moisture. Besides, (finally,) it is by
the vegetables that the soil produces: that we can best
judge of its quality, and of the temperature of the cli-
mate. Wherever the cultivator shall see the peach tree
prosper naturally, he may conclude the situation is favor-
able for the culture of the vine.” Page 246.*
* The mildew, the rot, and the blight, to which all grapes are subject in
the United States, more particularly the European kinds, render this re-
mark incorrect, as regards this country.
166 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
“Tf the carth where you propose to plant a vineyard
is cultivated already, the best preparation for so doing is
to plant, for two or three years, the soil with vegetables,
giving the preference to such as require the most work-
ing of the land in the cultivation. The labor necessary
in this operation, and the manures by which they.are
made to thrive, prepares, lightens, and enriches it. The
dung, in general so adverse to the vine, so prejudicial to
he quality of the fruit, incorporated into the soil in ad-
vance, can have only good effects; it has become freed
of the carbonic acid in excess, and the vegetable sub-
stances become united with the under surface of the
earth ; the soil, thus prepared, is suitable for ee vine in
every age, but more particularly 1 in its infancy.” Page
251.
Remarks quoted by Dr. Lindley in the controversy re-
lating to manures for vines :—
“The same reasons may be used against the system of
the vine-growers of the north, who think it advantageous
to manure their vines. By this means, indeed, they ob-
tain Jarger crops, and more wine, but it is of bad quality, °
it will not keep; and its smell: often reminds me, when
drank, of the disgusting substances which produced tt.
Manure communicates to the vine too much nourishment.
The nutritious juice, reduced to gas, and received by the
mouths of the capillary roots, and by the air-vessels
of the leaves, penetrates and circulates in the sap-vessels,
forms the wood of the plant, and furnishes the substance
out of which the shoots, leaves, flowers, and frnit are de-
veloped; the more abundant the nutritive matter, the
more the diameter of the vessels distends, the more rapid
~
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 167
is the circulation of the sap, because the channels through
which it passes have more capacity. This causes the
sap to circulate in a less state of elaboration, the result
ef which must be, that the wine is flat, insipid, and des-
titute of all the principles of alcohol. Wevertheless, the
abundant crop thus obtained, and the brilliant vegetation,
are, after all, in some measure deceptive, FOR THEY CAN
BE- BUT TRANSITORY. In-vineyards where manuring is
practised, they only manure once in ten years. It is not
to be doubted, that the effect is very remarkable the first
three or four years after the manuring of the vines, but,
in the succeeding years, the plants beyin to languish ; no
longer finding that abundance of nourishment to which
they have been accustomed, they suffer in consequence,
‘and often fall victims to the want of it. Thus a part of
the plants are lost, either by too much or too little nour-
ishment. But vines cangreceive, and it is often advan-
tageous to give them, such manure as will make good
the poverty of the soil, its exhaustion, or what is required
otherwise for this sort of cultivation. No manure suits
vines better than what is properly called vegetable earth,
obtained by the decomposition of plants. Mosses, leaves,
and turf, mixed together, thrown up in great heaps, and
left for about two years to ferment, make the very best
manure of this sort.” Page 333.
These remarks follow the above, quoted by Dr. Lind-
ley, and may be considered essential to the proper under-
standing of the matter :—
‘“‘ Nevertheless, as it is often impossible to procnre, in
sufficient quantities, these (decomposed vegetables,) sub-
stances, intelligent cultivators have recourse to such as
168 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
can be had from the bottom of rivers, ponds, and dite.es,
and the sweepings of the roads and streets; these «
made up in heaps, composed alternately of a layer of.
these articles and a layer of old dung from the cow or
ox, the horse or sheep. This is left to winter ia this con-
dition; it is then spaded over, on all sides, and this is re-
peated often during a year; after this, it is ready to be
applied to the vines. Manures differ in quality, and it
cannot be positively said which is best for a place, unless
the quality of the earth which is to receive it is known.
A manure may be destructive to a vine in one part of a
vineyard, and yet be highly invigorating to some other
part even of the same vineyard.
“To improve a soil that is too moist, spread gravel
upon it; that from ravines is preferable, because it con-*
tains a mixture of humus, and shells, and marl, and oth-
er calcareous substances. You may also give for manure,
ashes, soot, pigeon’s dung, and other powerful substan-
ces, but it is necessary that these should be fore’ ug
time exposed to the air and reduced to poudrette. These
should be mixed with good loam, to render the efiect
more durable. Where the soil is excessively wet, it will
be best to apply manure without any other mixture; in
this case, spread a handful of the substance, as
would sow the seed broadcast on the land.
“Vegetable matter alone is sufficient to invigorate, for
many years, the vine which has been suffering in poor
soil near the top of a declivity. Thus, to manure and
improve a soil understandingly, you must be acquainted
with the effects of the different manures, and of the pro-
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 169
er proportion in which to apply these to the necessities
‘6 the different kinds of earth.
“Some cultivators have employed the scrapings of
horns, others have made use of the hoofs-and feet of
~sheap, and others, again, of the pieces of woolen clothes.
*¢ All these matters succeed as manures for the vine;
they contain much hydrogen and carbon, two of the chief
agents in vegetation. Buried in the earth, their decom-
position is slow, nearly insensible; but, as it is impossi-
ble to obtain these in large quantities, it is not necessary
to discuss the effect of them at large; perhaps they may
have the effect to give a peculiar taste to the wie.”
Pages 335 and 337.
“Fresh dung, the manures obtained from the deposi-
tories for carrion, ete., and other powerful matters not
yet converted into poudrette, are not the only substances
which give a bad taste to the wine. The vine absorbs
with much vigor all vapory substances suspended in the
ai. '-Traité sur la Culture dela Vigne, page 840.
The soil of the celebrated vineyards which produce
the Constantia wine at the Cape of Good Hope is a de-
composed sandstone.
“ The vineyard of Rudesheim, on the Rhine, is very
. sep, and is terraced; the soil is ofa dark rocky nature.
The soil of Johannisberg, on the Rhine, is argillace-
ous schist, with a proportion of mica, and, in one place,
is a reddish quartz. This is mixed with diluvial and al-
luvial deposits, in most parts. The exposure is south-
west, with a slope of fifteen degrees. The grape gener-
ally cultivated near the Rhine is the (Riesling,) White
Rissling.
8
170 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
The soil of Leistenwein and Steinwein vineyards, on
the Main, is similar, being argillaceous with calcareous
portions, especially fragments of lime. The Leistenwein
is regarded as the second finest wine of southern Germa-
ny; but, as the quantity made is very small, it is seldom
to be purchased. The grapes grown here are mostly the
White Rissling and the Traminer.
The soil of the hill of the Hermitage, where is made
the celebrated wine of this name, is variable. Dr. Bush-
by says the hill is of considerable height, but not of
great extent; the whole front, which looks to the south,
may contain three hundred acres, and of this, even the
middle region does not produce the finest wines. ‘“ The
gentleman, whose property we were traversing, pointed
out to me the direction in which a belt of calcareous soil
crossed the ordinary granitic soil of the mountain, and
he said it requires the grapes of these soils to be mixed,
in order to produce the finest quality of Hermitage.”—
James Bushby, London.
“ Between Chagny and Beaune, in France, the plain
lying to the southeast of the range of hills, which, from
the value of their produce, give the name of Cote d’Cr
to the department, is extremely rich, and, to all appear-
ance, capable of yielding golden harvests of corn, as the
hills do of wine. The greater portion of it, however,
was planted with vines on both sides of the road. Near
Chagny, it appeared lighter, with a larger admixture of
stones, and, on approaching Beaune, it was a rich brown
loam.’ — J bad. : .
‘“¢ At the vineyard of Chambertin, the soil varies ex-
tremely, even in the distance of one hundred yards; that
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPH. 171
nearest the road is of a brown loam of sufficient consist-
ency, but full of gravel, and, consequently, very friable.
The gravel consists of small broken pieces of the whitish
limestone, of which the hill is partly formed. At the
highest limit to which the ground has been broken up, it
is alight-colored clayish-looking soil, with a subsoil of marl
and abundance of small shells. Both of these soils efferves-
ced strongly with an acid, but the light-colored evidently
contains a far greater proportion of lime. The soils of
Beze, another first-rate vineyard of the commune of Gey-
ray, were exactly similar to that of the lower part of
Chambertin.”—/did.
Several other vineyards are deseribed as having the
same soil,
Ay, the centre of the district which produces the
Champaigne wine, is a small town on the river Marne.
**'The range of hills above the town of Ay is exposed to
the full south, except where the exposure is varied by
recesses In the range; it consequently produces wine of
the finest quality, and very superior to that of Epernay,
which is produced on hills exposed to the north. The
soil is strongly calcareous, full of small pieces of chalk
and of stones. Near the top of the hill, the soil is more
argillaceous.”—Lbid.
“ At Argentenil, the vignerons pay the utmost attention
to their plantations; indeed, their mode of cultivation,
at least as relates to productiveness, may be regarded as
approaching to the perfection of the art.
“They apply manure very freely; but this practice,
though it swells their recolée, is thought to deteriorate the
quality of the grapes. Poudrette is much used, which is
L172 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
neither more nor less than night-soil dried and reduced
to powder.
“‘Poudrette, we understand, was first recommended
by the celebrated Parmentier, about thirty years ago,
(1790,) as a top dressing for varicus field crops.
“Frequently, it is formed into a compost with the
weeds and refuse of the garden, and some marly loam,
or light mould; the poudrette being spread on the com-
post bed, in the proportion of half an inch to six inches
of weeds and earth. Such compost is considered as well
adapted for stimulating the roots of* fruit trees, especially
cherries, figs, and vines.
‘The offensive smell is, to a considerable degree, re-
moved by the addition of quicklime.”—/orticultural
Tour., Ldinburgh, 1828. |
From
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 203
Jeaves in autumn, until late in spring, or even summer,
when the scion can be kept back from sprouting. But if
the graft be on stocks not dug up, or stands where it
is to remain, it must be done in the fall or early part of
winter, to ensure success. In this way, [readily changed
my foreign, and other rotting kinds, into unexceptionable
native varieties. No clay, or any other covering of the
grafted part, is necessary in grafting grape vines even
with the ground. All that is to be done, is to saw off
your stock and put in your scion, (with two or three buds
thereon,) wedge-fashion, as in cleft-grafting fruit trees,
and then draw earth around a few inches high, leaving
one or two buds above ground; or, where the stock is
very large, and inconvenient to split, I have made a
gimlet hole, and inserted the scion, spoil-fashion, and
then drawn the earth around.
“ But, to avoid disappointment, the vintner should be
aware that more trouble and attention is required in the
grafting process, to pull off sprouts from the old stock, as
they spring forth to rob the graft, than in the process
itself; and this is far more the case in grafting to stocks
standing in their original place, than those procured from
the woods. ‘To compensate for this, however, the growth
from the former is much greater than from the latter,
viz.: eight or ten feet a season, in the one case, but
thirty feet, not uncommonly, in the other. Grafts often
bear some fine clusters the first season of growth, and
pretty considerably the second.” Mr. Weller is of the
opinion, “that, while American vineyards far exceed
European in yield, yet they fall far short in strength of
the juice yielded, and therefore corresponding keeping
204 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
ingredients must be used.” Heisin the habit of adding
“a plenty of sugar, or brandy, or both,” with these in-
gredients. Mr. Weller makes a fine wine with grapes
which are partly unripe; this is what he says of it:
* Made, September seventeenth, thirty-three gallons,
composed as follows—of five bushels of White Scupper-
nong grapes, Aalf green ones, two bushels of Purple
Scuppernong, two and a half bushels of common or
bunch grapes of the woods; fermented, after mashing
(with a machine of two wooden rollers,) two hours ; juice
strained through folds of a woolen blanket, as it run
from the press ; twenty pounds of conmon brown sugar
then added, and eight gallons of good apple brandy, and
turned into a new cask, fumigated with a sulphur match.”
This wine “sold readily, after being racked ‘off, for two
dollars a gallon, underthe name of Weller’s Scuppernong
Champaigne.” He further says of the quality: “My
wine, with no other ingredient than sugar, or pure spirit,
ever added, circulated in this region, and other parts of
our country, is pronounced by the best judges to be
more unequivocally pleasant, healthful, and medicinal,
than any foreign. Persons in delicate health have found
essential benefit from its use; and, I add, that the wine
made with pure spirits, as a medicated medicine, is more
generally approved, than that made with sugar.”
Mr. Weller’s plan of planting and training has been,
to plant the vines, the Scuppernong, twenty feet apart,
and other kinds, ten; “to lead them up on posts, six or
eight feet high, and then sideways, on trellises and seaf-
folding, so that, at length, underneath the canopies, no-
thing is to be seen, for six or eight feet from the ground,
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 205
but the main vine stems and supporting posts.” He
adds: “but I now consider twenty feet too near, for the
Secuppernongs, thirty or forty being better, unless it is in-
tended to remove every other one, before they become -
too large.” He saves all the leaves of the vines, and
digs them into the vineyard, for manure. Mr. Weller
considers this as the true American system of training
the vine. The principle of allowing the vine to spread
-and range freely, during summer, is, undoubtedly, cor-
rect, as applied to the American species, and it is what I
have recommended for many years. But the system of
training up the vine by posts, and then spreading them
on flat frame-work, six or eight feet high from the earth,
is as much a European plan as the training them to
sticks, &c. I have seen many vineyards thus trained, in
Italy, and other countries.*
In speaking of the great size of the vine, he says: “I
measured to-day, a Scuppernong, fourteen years old from
planting, and it covers an area whose diameter is fifty
feet. Another runs thirty feet on scaffolding, and then
ascends an aspen tree, spreading over its branches to the
height of about forty feet; the tree full of grapes. A
vine in the lower part of this state, near the Scupper-
nong Island, in the Roanoke, whence this grape and its
name originated, produces its annual yield of five bar-
rels of wine, I am most credibly informed.
* “The vineyards are much more beautiful than the German fields of
stakes. The vines grow over a frame, higher than the head, supported,
through the whole field, on stone pillars. They interlace and form a com-
plete leafy screen, while the clusters hang below.”—Page 237. This was
on the Italian side of the Alps. Views A-Foot, by J. Bayard Taylor.
- New York, 1846. ~
206 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
“The berries of this grape are very large. I have fre-
quently measured selected ones, and found them to be
three and a half, and some few, four inches round.
_ They are more easily gathered than other kinds.
competed, successfully, amongst the best fruit-growers of
any county in England.
“Between September 7th, 1841, and October 17th,
1848, | was awarded, by the Horticultural Society of
London, eight medals, six for grapes exclusively, and two
for exhibitions in which grapes formed the principal
fruit. It appears that Mr. Cherry agrees with my prac-
tice of culture, with the exception of carrion ; but, if he
has not remade the borders at Eshton, which I am per-
suaded he has not, are not the vines still enjoying the
remains of what I cautiously offered?” Here follow
some particularly correct remarks relative to the border,
as described by E. F. G., page 274. As I have made
my own statement concerning the materials used in this
border, and the effect, as described, upon the vines, and
as in the main we agree, it is unnecessary to quote them
here. “In making a tour, in the autumn of 1844, I
called at a nobleman’s demesne. After an introduction
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 279
to the gardener, we entered a large vineyard, in which
was a splendid crop of Muscat of Alexandria grapes ;
good bunches, with finely swelled berries, and beautifully
colored. J expressed my delight at the sight, and he
stated the means employed to bring about so desirable a
result. The vine was worn out, and bore little; and, he
added, ‘ being possessed of your Treatise, I top-dressed,
as recommended, and the result is what you see; they
have been the admiration of all who have seen them.’ ”—
Gardeners’ Chronicle, 1848.
‘We should not treat Mr. Roberts’s letter on vines, in
our last Chronicle, with the consideration to which the
indisputable skill of the writer is entitled, if we passed
it over without remark. We are also called upon to no-
tice it by some of the reasoning introduced into it.
“Mr. Roberts first questions whether his carrion-fed
vines have been excelled by others treated toa less offen-
sive diet. That his grapes were excellent, we have re-
peated over and over again; they did the greatest credit
to his skill, as his work on the vine does to his intelli-
gence and knowledge of his profession. But, until he
can show that a bunch of Hamburgh, weighing five
pounds, is not superior to one weighing two pounds five
ounces, or a bunch of Muscats, of two pounds nine
ounces, to one of the same kind weighing two pounds
three ounces,—and such are the differences between Mr.
Hutchison’s Castle Malowyn grapes and those of Eshton
Hall,—we must retain our opinion, that grapes are not
improved by being fed on carrion. It is said that Mr.
Hutchison’s vines were seven years old, and those of Mr.
Roberts but two; but we learn, by the present gardener
280 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
at Eshton, that the vines there, now that they have be-
come seven or eight years old, only bear bunches averag-
ing one pound. So that the carrion-fed vines are not im-
proved by age; and their present state is, to our minds,
‘anything rather than ‘conciusive as to the advantages
to be derived from using that substance.’
“Mr. Roberts states that some very fine grapes, seen
by him in Cheshire, had acquired their condition by
being top-dressed in the manner recommended by him.
We find that manner explained in his Treatise, to be ‘a
light top-dressing of ground bones, loamy soil, rotten
manure, and decayed carrion, covering the whole with
an inch or two of half-rotten stable manure to prevent
evaporation,’-—a good appliance, no doubt. But we are
at a loss to know what this has really to do with the
question at issue. The use of a little horse-flesh, in a
state of decay, is surely not the same thing as filling a
border with lumps of putrid flesh. ‘ Adding one good-
sized horse or cow carcass to every ten or twelve yards,’
(Treatise,) and we certainly should not be inclined to ap-
ply to the recommendation Mr. Roberts’s term, cautious.
We own that to us the advice seems rather the reverse.
But we half suspect that, after all the controversy, our
difference in opinion from our very clever correspondent
turns, like many other differences, upon the meaning of
a word. What is really meant by carrion? We under-
stand it to be putrid flesh in the early stage of decompo-
sition, emitting putrid effluvia not less dangerous to man
and plants than it is offensive and disgusting. These
early products of animal decay, be they what they may,
are given off in such abundance for a certain time, vary-
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 251
ing with temperature and other circumstances, that they
cannot be too cautiously guarded against ; and therefore
carrion, in the sense in which we understand the word,
is wholly unfit for gardening purposes. But, by degrees,
the horrible emanations from putrid flesh are decomposed,
or absorbed by the surrounding soil, or are lost in the
open air, and then their dangerous quality disappears.
In fact, decayed carrion, that is to say, carrion which has
lost its offensiveness, is not carrion at all; it consists of
little more than bones, saline matter, and the black earth
which is called-humus,—a very valuable substance,
partly on account of its own action, and partly on ac-
count of the gaseous matters which it detains among its
pores, and parts with gradually and beneficially. Iv is
old, crumbling manure. It is not to this that we, or any
one, would object. Quite the contrary ; and we readily
admit that, after a time, the dead horses in the vine
borders at Eshton, ceasing to be dangerous, will become
a potent and harmless manure. But the mischief is done
before that time; the first stage in the growth of the
vines has been injurious, and we doubt whether any
amount of care will quite repair the damage. At all
events, admitting that it may be repaired, we are still
forced to arrive at the conclusion that the use of so offen-
sive a material as carrion does no good, and therefore
ought to be abandoned.”—Gardeners’ Chronicle, 1848,
p- 83.
By J. W. Roberts, Gardener, Wakefield, Yorkshare.—
“ Three years ago, I gardened not two miles from Wake-
field, where I had two vineries, which had produced
little for years. The vines in them were nearly sixty
282 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
years old. By permission of my employer, I re-made the
borders. In the first place, I took the vines carefully up,
and the border being in a very bad state, I drained it
well, refilling it with compost, consisting of a portion of
earrion, leaf mould, turf from a pasture, and stable ma-
nure, and the result is, that, last year, these same vines
produced a capital crop of well-flavored finely colored
fruit, and made excellent wood. Surely, this speaks vo-
lumes in favor of carrion. Is not H. F. G. mistaken, ©
when he says that the vines in the neighborhood of Leeds
and Wakefield are falling off? Ihave lived for nearly
twenty years in the neighborhood of Wakefield, and all
who have used carrion here, speak in high terms of its
favorable effects on their vines. The use of carrion was
first suggested to me by reading Mr. Roberts’s ‘ Treatise
on the Vine,’ than which I know of no more valuable
work on the subject, and for which I feel much indebted
to its author.”— Gardeners’ Chronicle, 1848, p. 102.
A. Henderson is opposed to Mr. Roberts’s plan, and
quotes Abbe Rozier, Chaptal, M. Bosc, and other conti-
nental authors, who, it is well known, are opposed to all
crude manures for the vine, as proper authorities to be
relied upon as evidence of the bad effects of them. The
article is very long, but it contains nothing new. It can
be found in the Gardeners’ Chronicle, for 1848, p. 115.
Remarks on statements made in the discussion —The
first assertion by Mr. Elliott, in the communication which
commenced the controversy, is, that he found the young
shoots on the vines, newly planted, all dead for eight or
ten inches. And he denies that the explanation given
him of the cause,—the burning by the sheet glass,—can
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 288
be the correct one, and attributes it to pufrefaction in the
border, baneful stimulants to the tender roots have arisen,
and the effect of such stimulants, according to this writer,
has been to kill the ends of the shoots. Had this suppo-
sition been correct, that the cause was putrid matter
from the flesh of animals coming in contact with the
roots of the vine, I have no hesitation in asserting, from
what experience I have had in such matters, the result
would have been death to the vine,—the roots dying first,
the tops, last. Ihave never known a vine affected in
this manner, when there was a possibility that the rich
soil could have been the cause; neither do I think that,
out of six hundred vines which I have planted under glass,
this singular disease ever seriously affected one vine. I
have had a few injured at the end of the cane, but it has
always occurred on some extremely hot and bright day,
when the very place on the skin of the shoot, which had
been burned by a defect in the glass, could be seen. A
new shoot from the terminal eye has invariably pushed
and grown rapidly, showing that the cause was external,
and not with the roots or sap. In the bright sunshine, I
do not see any good reason why the glass might not burn
the shoots in England as well as in the United States ;
that it does burn here, there is nodoubt; and Mr. Hovey,
in speaking of the exposure for the grapery, alludes to
the necessity of having some protection from the scorch-
ing effects of the sun in summer, and mentions the
whiting the glass for this purpose. It is not uncommon
to see the young laterals, and even the main stalk of the
bunch of fruit I have sometimes found burned, on the
side next the glass, and so injured that I have deemed it
284 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
best to cut it gway. That the gas, escaping from fer-
menting manure and leaves, will destroy the foliage, I
have stated in my remarks on Mr. Roberts’s plan.
The editor of the Chronicle states, that it is the “‘ gaseous
results of decomposition, whose odors render vine bord-
ers, constructed on Mr. Roberts’s plan, so intolerably dis-
gusting.” (Article extracted as from the Chronicle, 1847,
page 851.)
This state of the border, when prepared either by Mr.
Roberts’s plan, or my own, never can exist in fact. I
never have discovered the least odor from any border
after it was finished. All manures in their crude state
are offensive, and, in collecting them for the border, or
the compost heap, the person so employed must be sub-
ject to the gases, be they more or less disagreeable. [
contend that animal matter, when fresh, is less so than
any other manure. There is an erroneous opinion formed
of the condition of the border, founded upon the im-
proper use of the word carrion (before noticed) by Mr.
Roberts, when he does not in reality use carrion or re-
commend its use until changed.
Dr. Lindley refers to an oak tree, which had been sub-
jected to improper treatment, by the digging into the
soil, around and above its roots, of an undue quantity of
powerful manure from a.cess-pool, with the result, to the
tree, (almost death,) which any skilful gardener would
have expected. This gentleman certainly cannot intend
to compare this injudicions management with the com-
post formed from carrion and soil, and the manner of
applying it, as recommended by Mr. Roberts. For, he
immediately adds, “it is only when diluted that such
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 285
manures acquire the high value which belongs to them,—
a just remark, not only in relation to the manure above
named, but to all the substances usually classed under
this head, such as the offal of all animals and birds, the
decayed matter from flesh or fish, whether of the soft
material which dissolves, or of the bony substances which
are a long time in crumbling away, guano, poudrette,
&e.
Dr. Lindley refers to the plants in a greenhouse, that
were almost destroyed by the gases arising from the pu-
trefying body of a hedgehog, and thinks that is proof
that the vines were injured at the ends of their shouts
by the gas from the carrion. It may have been caused
by the confined air inside of this house, which prevented
the escape of this gas. I must confess, that I think there
may have been some other cause, that affected the plants,
and produced the disease. In the newly settled parts of
our country, it is customary to leave the dead bodies of
animals unburied. I have never noticed any effect pro-
duced upon the foliage of tree or herb from the odor or
gas arising therefrom. In the valley of the Connecticut,
where reside some of our best agriculturists, they ma-
nure the land with fresh white fish, that are caught in
“great quantities, (I believe in the spring season of the
year.) They spread them broadcast over the fields, and
any one who has ridden through this district, about this
time of application, can most assuredly say that the cus-
tom “is not inviting,” and can bear ample testimony
that the air is charged with gas from putrefying matter,
yet we hear of no bad effect from this; and, if a single
hedgehog in a greenhouse would kil] plants, it would ap-
286 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE,
pear probable that thousands, and tens of thousands, of
these white fish,spread over the surface of the land,
would affect the foliage in the fields wherein they were
undergoing this change. .
Dr. Lindley then says, “ Zhe vine-dressers of Hrance
object to manure altogether.” I cannot pass this remark
by, without a direct denial of the assertion. The gentle-
man himself does it effectually in the quotation he brings
forward from Chaptal, and the continuation of the sub-
ject of manures by this French author, given under the
head of manures for vineyards, will still farther explain
the customs of the French. My own belief is, that the
French manure their vineyards: that there are excep-
tions to this, it may be. Chaptal, and other authors, are
opposed to the custom, I admit; but other persons, who
write what they have seen and know, state that they are
used. Chaptal wishes to discourage the use of it, from
a belief that it injures the juice of the grape; that it in-
creases the size of the berry, he admits, and that is what
all are endeavoring to obtain, when cultivating for the
table, and the plan of cultivation which will produce
this, without injury to the amount of the crop, flavor, or
color, of the fruit, is the best.
Dr. Lindley is of the opinion, that the grapes shown
by Mr. Gower, have surpassed those grown by Mr. Ro-
berts. rom the printed account of them, [ should have
preferred to have been the one who produced the six
kinds, named as having been shown by the latter. Three
of these varieties usually setting poorly, all of which
were sufficiently large, and the White Nice, (a kind that
makes a large bunch, but a light weighing fruit,) remark-
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 287
ably so; they were all represented as having been beau-
tiful. Mr. Gower’s, though his Hamburgh bunches were
large, were rather deficient in color,—a want that, in my
estimation, would make them unworthy to compete with
the firstnamed. To have a correct idea of this matter,
there should be some standard of quality to refer to. I
do not remember ever to have met with any’such. My
opinion of the characteristics requisite to form a fine
bunch of grapes, is, that the bunch be of medium bigness,
with the berries large, of an equal size, well colored, and
covered with a fine bloom. Very large bunches are not
always so equally well flavored as lesser ones, and those
weighing from eight ounces to one pound each, are almost
always the best. When exhibited at horticultural shows
however, large sized, if at the same time these be well
colored, will.invariabiy be considered the best.
The border that produced the grapes, which Dr. Lind-
ley considers superior to those raised by Mr. Roberts, is
a very fine one, and not very unlike the compost recom-
mended by me, to be used in a situation where it is ne-
cessary to remove all the original soil; but, in this border,
they use liquid manure; and this is universally the case,
when the border is composed of turf, without a large ad-
dition of bones or other manures. This application of
an offensive liquid upon the surface of the soil is, in my
estimation, more disagreeable than in burying it; and
when the rich border is properly made, rainwater is the
only application requisite for the roots on the outside of
the house. On the other hand, the border composed of
loam and rotten sods, although excellent, requires this
288 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
application of liquid manure, to cause the grapes to swell
off large and full.
This discussion of the subject of manures is well worthy
the attention of cultivators. Instead of supporting Mr.
Hovey’s assertion, that experienced cultivators held the
same opinions as he did, respecting the ‘‘ quackery, so
often recommended,” as the use of oyster shells, or boiled
bones, dead cattle, etc., I am rather inclined to believe,
that the judiczous use of them is advocated ; certainly,
it is admitted, that they are promoters of vegetation.
Chaptal even allows, that the effect of manure is to in-
crease the growth of wood and fruit; but, he adds, the
effects are deceptive; for, after a time, the manure will
cease to act, and the vine will languish. But is not this
failure caused by neglecting to renew the manure?
Plant a vine in a new soil, a good loam for instance, it
will grow well, and bear fruit for some years, but soon
(as Chaptal says of the manured vine,) it will cease to
bear fruit, or only in a diminished degree. Renew this
soil by adding to it more loam or manure, either as a
solid or liquid, and it will regain its former vigor. The
soil must be strengthened by yearly application of suit-
able matter. That harm is done by improper manuring,
JT have no doubt. If vines, when young, are too highly
manured, and this stimulant is not constantly kept up,
they will fail to do well; and this is what I should most
fear from Mr. Roberts’s system; not from the bodies of
animals deposited in the border, but from the manure
placed on the surface to produce heat.
Dr. Lindley, if I understand his language, does not
discourage the use of the articles named by Mr. Hovey,
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 289
with the exception of carrion, and this only, as such, and
not to the use of it, as I have recommended, in the for-
mation of the border. In the last article written by him,
on the subject, he says, “‘ we readily admit, that, after a
time, the dead horses in the vine borders at Eshton,
ceasing to be dangerous, will become a potent and harm-
less manure.” By the authorities quoted, and the ap-
proval of other systems of border compost, which con-
tain manures in large quantities in them, I apprehend
that Dr. Lindley, and other experienced cultivators, in
Kurope, do not differ widely from me, in the opinion I
have formed, and in the practice which I have carried
out and recommended to the public.
It must be apparent to a thoughtful reader, that, when
I propose a substitute, to take the place of a soil so un-
suitable as to require removal from the place where the
border.is to be situated, that the compost named for the
purpose must be, in my opinion, in every respect, suited
for the welfare of the vines. Mr. Hovey, in his sweep-
ing remarks, relative to rich borders, refers to myself,
as recommending the use of “the carcasses of animals,
to such an extent as to cover the bottom of the border,
if they could be obtained.” His statement is correct;
but my views would have been better understood, if
some allusioif had been made to the substitute. My
reasons for recommending the carcasses of animals, are
several,—such as the durability of their bones, the ex-
citing nature and strength of the manure formed from
the decomposed flesh, etc., and their cheapness. In the
fall of the year, near large cities, it is frequently easy to
procure the bodies of horses, either dead or living, for a
13
290 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
mere trifle,—often they can be had free of cost, brought
to your place, and then killed, and the thanks of the
owners to you in addition, for providing a place of de- °
posit, near at hand, for them, which otherwise might
occasion them some expense in their removal to a dis-
tance, or in burying them. All bodies of animals, killed
accidentally, or by disease, are of no value in this coun-
try, but as manure, and when such can be had, there is
so much saved. On the contrary, the land that has been
skimmed of its turf, and three or four inches of its best
soil, (in this part of our country at least,) is almost ruined.
It is true, you may rob your own land, but, should your
garden be in the city, (as mine is situated,) you would
search many an hour before the proper pasture soil could
be obtained. Knowing these difficulties in providing
suitable soil from a pasture, I, in the first place, gave the
directions for the compost, with the animal carcasses;
and then, in giving the substitute, presumed that it
would be understood, that I did not consider that it was
imperatively necessary that these materials, flesh and
all, should be incorporated into the border. That it is
best to do so, I firmly believe.
My first border was made in 1884, on a flooring of
stones; it was very rich; much slaughter-house ma-
nure, with many bones, were incorporated with the soil;
cow manure, and some lime, also, was added nearer the
surface. This house has always had artificial heat ap-
plied to it; and, for the last ten years, has been forced
in December, and has never failed to produce a crop of
fruit. This season of 1848, the fruit was as fine as it
ever has been; the bunches, many of them, weighing
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 291
one and two pounds each; the berries were large, and
well colored. The second border was made a few years
after the first; the manures used were similar to the
above ; but, instead of stones, the bottom of the border
was paved with bones, and well covered with them; the
vines have always done well, and ripened good crops of
fine fruit. The third border was paved, at the bottom,
with stones, as whole bones could not be obtained. The
manures, in this border, were entirely from the barn-
yard, from horses and oxen; it was very coarse, having
much litter and old (Indian) cornstalks in it; the soil
was the garden loam, which had been freely manured
with barn-yard material; the proportion of manure
added was one half, certainly, and perhaps rather more.
In this border, the vines have made the most rapid growth
of any that I have planted: but the fruit produced
therein, although very fair and well-colored, is not large,
the berries measuring two and a half to three and a half
inches round, for Hamburghs; while, in the houses,
where bones and slaughter-house manures, or the car-
casses of animals are added to the compost, the berries
measure from three to four inches in circumference.
By far the largest part of my borders were made, since
the above, in 1843. Slaughter-house manures, bones, the
earcasses of animals, old mortar and bricks, oyster-shells,
horse and cow manure, old leather and loam, were added
in considerable quantities. I have not discovered any
reason for wishing to change the compost. At the end
of the house, in a space used for the furnace, no manure
was added on the outside, as the street of the city was
here. Thesoil wasa good yellow loam, and, on the street,
292 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
covered with gravel. To notice the difference in the fruit-
ing and growing of the vines, when situated in this un-
prepared soil, as compared with the compost above, I
planted four vines, so situated that three of them would
send their roots into the street in search of food. The
difference has been surprising. The vines planted in the
border have ripened three good crops of fruit; those in
the natural soil have not ripened a bunch, and, until this
year, have not even seta berry. One vine, a Hamburgh,
has, at present, a very small bunch upon it. The vines
have been pruned and well cared for, and I have no rea-
son to suppose that they will not eventually yield a crop
of fair fruit; that they will be able to bear comparison
with the other grapes, in the same house, I do not expect.
In 1844, having occasion to make more border, and
having a large quantity of stable manure and old leaves,
which had been used for covering the roots of the vines
in winter, I thought this, if added to the soil in large
quantities, which was also a good loam, with some small
quantity of cow manure and bones, would insure me a
sufficiently good compost. But it was a mistake; the
vines grew slowly, and not more than half of them fruited
the last season. This spring, I have enlarged the border
very much, and added strong manure, with many whole
bones and twenty bushels of ground ones, with one
hundred bushels of charcoal screenings, and as much
more old mortar and brickbats, with some consider-
able wood-ashes mixed with them. The vines are now
growing very well, and many, but not all of them, have
good crops of fruit upon them. The fruit in this house
was small and well colored. In the autumn, watering
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 293
with liquid manure was resorted to with good effect,
yet the difference was very much in favor of the border
with the carcasses. More trials with like results, might
be added ; however, if these have been properly stated,
—and I am certain that my object has been to obtain
facts, not to establish theories,—and that these trials
have resulted as above expressed, then there can be no
necessity for further testimony of mine, as it all tends the
same way, and the mere repetition of the trials would be
useless. The question now is, whether the experiments —
have been fairly made. I think they have; that climate
and other circumstances of soil and situation will vary, in
some degree, the results of similar trials in other localities
is very probable.
The effect of different manures in promoting the growth
of the roots of the vine.—This summer, I placed small
glass bottles, filled with rainwater, under the stems of
grape vines, that had roots about one and a half inches
long on them; they reached the water, touchiug it suf-
ficiently to encourage the growth in the root; the bottles
were then secured in this position. In seven days, the
roots had pushed strongly into the water. I then added
different manures, as liquids, to the water, in a very di-
luted state; the object being to have the roots of the vine
open to view, that the effect of the different manures in
producing rootlets or spongioles could be observed.
No. 1, had a grain of guano, in the powder, added;
the effect of this was, that, in forty-eight hours, the root-
lets began to put out from the sides of the root, and to
consume the liquid. I then took a small teaspoonful of |
the guano and mixed it with half a gill of water, and, as
294. THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
the liquid was consumed by the roots in the bottle, it was
filled up with this. After a few applications of the guano,
the rootlets, which at first put forth and grew freely, ceased
to grow, or to consume the liquid: they soon died, and,
on removing the bottle, I found them in a putrid state.
This experiment, though unsuccessful, was satisfactory,
as it confirmed the opinion I had formed of this manure,
that, when applied in a highly diluted form, it is valuable,
and that one cannot well be too cautious in using it.
The second experiment was simple rainwater ; the root
in this grew very slowly, and in five or six weeks made
only three or four inches, with four rootlets, about one
inch long, each; they continued to grow until removed.
No. 3, was manured with the liquid from a teaspoonful
of ashes from the wood of the grape, soaked in half a gill
of rainwater; the effect was sudden and great; and the
roots formed so fast, that, in three weeks, there were
thousands of feeders in the bottle, and, in bright days
it had to be filled morning and evening; it very soon
used up the first quantity, and had another supply fur-
nished ; this I cut off and planted out; it is now a grows
ing are in the border.
No. 4, was manured with the extract from one poied
of cow manure, which had been under cover four years,
and never exposed to the weather; it was as free frozn
any offensive smell as the purest spring:water, and was
prepared by steeping several days, before using, and
was then strained into a bottle. The effect of this was
like the above,—from the ashes: I could not perceive
any difference. This is also a plant now growing in the
border.
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 29d
No. 5, was the extract of meadow muck, which had
been under cover several years; one pound of the soil,
to which was added a very little pot-ash, was steeped in
water several days, and strained off into a bottle, and ap-
plied as the roots consumed the liquid. This afforded a
suitable food, and the spongicles continued to grow and
increase rapidly for three weeks, when they received a
check, and ceased growing, and were changing color;
the bottle was removed, and the roots placed carefully
into one filled with simple rainwater again; this saved
them, and they again began growing. The liquid, which
had before proved too powerful, was now supplied them;
as they consumed the water in the bottle, they grew as
rapidly as before the check, and formed a fine, strong-
rooted vine, which is now in the border.
No. 6, was manured with the liquid drainings from the
hog-pen; although very much diluted, the first application
destroyed the young roots. In renewing the trial, the
liquid which had caused this, was used as the same ma-
nure, still further diluted, and the effect was good; the
bottle was filled with roots.
No. 7, was manured with the extract of the leaves and
young shoots, trimmings of the grape vine; these were
steeped a few days, and kept warm; when applied to the
water in the bottles, it was quite acid. This destroyed
life very soon, the acid being too powerful. On repeating
the experiment, and after applying the same liquid, when
the acidity had passed away, the roots made with vigor
and rapidity; this formed a plant, now flourishing in
the soil.
No. 8, was another trial with guano, in a more diluted
296 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
form ; it did not induce the forming of roots, as did some
of the others. ‘The reason of this, undoubtedly, was the
powerful nature of this substance, which, in the exposed
circumstances of the roots, was, in all the trials, too
strong.
The cow manure and ashes had the most beneficial ef-
fect; that is, they caused the bottles to be filled, in the
least time, with roots and rootlets innumerable : although
the strength of the liquid was constantly increasing,
there did not appear to be any injurious effect therefrom.
LIST OF VARIETIES OF GRAPES.
Tux following list is recommended for planting in the
retarding house, and in the proportions named. If the
number of vines to be planted is greater or less than
these, you can increase or decrease them by varieties that
ripen late, or those of the list given in greater numbers :—
Black Hamburgh, six vines, including with this variety
Wilmot’s new Black Hamburgh, Victoria Black Ham-
burgh, and the No. 16 Black Hamburgh.
Museat of Alexandria, two vines.
Zinfindal, one vine.
Black Lombardy or West’s St. Peter’s, five vines.
Wortley Hall seedling, three vines.
Portien Noir, three vines.
Tottenham Park Muscat, one vine.
Syrian, three vines.
Black Damascus, one vine.
Black Prince, one vine.
Old Black St. Peter’s, one vine.
Cannon Hall Muscat, one vine.
White Hamburgh, one vine.
Escholata Muscat, one vine.
White Nice, one vine.
_ Red Lombardy, one vine.
Queen of Nice, one vine.
18*
298 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
Bowker, one vine.
Bishop, one vine.
Black Portugal or Ferrar, one vine.
Prince Albert, three vines.
VARIETIES MOST VALUABLE FOR GENERAL PLANTING.
For planting, I would recommend the different varie-
ties of the Black Hamburgh grape as the best for the
greatest number of vines.
The Grizzly, the White and the Black Frontignan are
all admired by those persons who like the Muscat flavor ;
they are liable to shrivel, and are more delicate than
other grapes, and do not keep well when ripe; the
Grizzly is the earliest of them.
The Muscat of Alexandria is a large oval grape; it
does not set well under glass, and requires artificial im-
pregnation ;* it is a firm-fleshed or breaking grape, and
when well ripened, cannot be exceeded in richness.
The Tottenham Park Muscat is very like the above,
but not so high flavored, it sets the berries better.
Portuguese Muscat is like the above, but is more
highly musk flavored.
Chasselas de Bar Sur Aube is a fine white grape, and
a good bearer.
Pitmaston White Cluster has rather small berries, but
is very early and good.
* Otis Johnson, Esq., of Lynn, a successful cultivator of the grape, the
past year, allowed the shoots of this variety to grow at random until the
fruit was swelling, and he thinks the result of the experiment was oe
ble: the es set remarkably well.
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 299
Syrian, white, has very large bunches, sometimes
weighing twenty pounds. :
The descriptive list of grapes annexed will enable any
one to select such sorts as his taste may dictate.
For a cold house, I would recommend the following,
and in proportion to the number named to each sort.
The most desirable are the first named :—
Black Hamburgh, ten vines.
Wilmot’s new Black Hamburgh, ten vines.
Wilmot’s No. 16, ten vines. This may prove no bet-
ter than the old variety.
Victoria Hamburgh, ten vines.
White Frontignan, two vines.
Grizzly Frontignan, two vines.
Pitmaston White Cluster, one vine.
Golden Chasselas, two vines.
Chasselas de Bar Sur Aube, one vine.
Rose Chasselas, one Fine.
Red Chasselas, one vine.
White Gascoigne, one vine.
Royal Muscadine, one vine.
Red Traminer, one vine.
White Rissling, one vine.
Macready’s Early White.
The last seven are equally valuable, and there are
many others as much so, as may be seen by referring to
the varieties.
For a forcing-house :—
The Black Hamburghs, in variety. .
‘The Red, and the Rose Chasselas.
Chasselas de Bar Sur Aube.
800 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
White Frontignan.
Black Frontignan.
Grizzly Frontignan.
Pitmaston White Cluster.
Golden Chasselas.
White Gascoigne.
Royal Muscadine.
Muscat of Alexandria.
Tottenham Park.
Zinfindal.
Cannon Hall Muscat.
Red Traminer.
Macready’s Early White.
The Early Black July may be added, if it is desired
to get early grapes; this is a small grape, of a pleasant
flavor, but no earlier than the Pitmaston, and only de-
sirable for its color. They will both, if planted in the
warmest situation, come on tog@ther, and much before
the Black Hamburgh. The Grizzly Frontignan and
Golden Chasselas are both very early.
These lists embrace a good number of the best varie-
ties; there are several new kinds well spoken of, but
which have not been sufficiently tried, in this country,
to prove their qualities. The Chasselas Musqué cracks
very much, thus far, and, if it should habitually do so,
will not be worth cultivation. The Muscat Blane Hatif
(Karly White Muscat,) is particularly recommended
abroad ; but this has proved to be the same as the Chas-
selas Musqué.
There are five or six more kinds which will be fully
proved in two or three years, but it is hardly probable
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 301
there will be any thing better produced, for cultivation
under glass, than the best of the old kinds named above.
For large collections, almost any number of kinds may
be added. The Garden of the Luxembourg, at Paris,
numbers about five hundred varieties, many of them
worthless, and a great number only differing very little
in foliage, or in the time of ripening.
Luxembourg Gardens, Paris.— Grape vines occupy
a prominent part in this horticultural school, the kinds
being very numerous, and the plants taking up a consid-
erable proportion of the ground. Here are now assem-
bled all the varieties of vine known to be cultivated in
France, or, I may say, in Europe. ‘To the best of my
recollection, nearly three hundred varieties are named,
and as many more without names, which are regarded
by M. Bose as possessing characters sufficiently marked
to entitle them to rank as distinct.* In general, there is
only one plant of each variety; but the Chasselas de
Fontainebleau is an exception, there being a long row of
this on one side of.the garden. It is the favorite variety,
and has been justly styled the ‘raisin de table par excel-
lence,’ of the French. At Fontainebleau, the vines grow
on a light sandy soil, and the grapes are sweeter than
those produced on a fice soil.
The varieties of table grapes are few in number, per-
haps scarcely exceeding twenty ; the great mass of kinds
consisting of sorts cultivated in the vignobles, in the
various departments of France, in Italy, Spain, and Ger-
many. Many of these approach in character very near
* Under Napoleon, Chaptal collected in this garden fourteen hundred
varieties.
302 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. ©
to each other; and it frequently happens, as with our
orchard fruits, that the same kind is known under differ-
ent names in different districts.’—Horticultural Tour,
Hdinburgh.
The following list* contains the new varieties, with the
valuable older ones recently brought to notice, part of
which have not yet been proved in this country :—
4 Black Hamburgh.—The bunches are large and
shouldered, the berries black and roundish; it is un-
necessary to say more, as it is universally known to be
the best variety for general cultivation under glass.
q Hschovata Muscat—This is a seedling of the Mus-
eat of Alexandria. This variety, which Mr. Thompson
makes a synonyme of the Muscat of Alexandria, was
shown at the exhibition of the London Horticultural So-
ciety, September, 1847. Although distinct, it is said to
yesemble that variety; the berries have a pink tinge.
The Esperione is supposed to have been one of its parents.
This grape was brought into notice by Mr. Money. It
keeps well. |
4 COhasselas Musqué .White.— Cracks badly; but,
when grown in a part of the grapery where there is a
free circulation of air, it does well in usual seasons. At
Enghien, seat of the Duc d’Aremberg, “we found the
Chasselas Musqué trained along the front of the house
possessed by the chamberlain, and we were told that, be-
fore the end of October, the grapes seldom fail to ripen
fully, and to acquire their musky flavor:”—AHort. Zour,
Edinburgh, 1823.
_* The grapes marked with a 9, nave been proved in this glee 8 to be
true to the description.
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 3808
“4 Cannon Hall Muscat.—Sets badly ;* requires arti-
ficial impregnation; the berries are white, large and
very handsome, and high flavored. A late variety.
4 Bloom Raisin Seedling—A coarse late white varie-
ty; sets badly.
4 Wilmot’s New Black Hamburgh.— Has large,
round, very black berries, with a hammered appearance.
It is uncertain in quality, often fine, but as often too as-
tringent; it requires always to hang long after it has
colored, before cutting; in a poor situation it does not
set sere
{| Welmot’s Vo. 16.—Has proved fine; it is a variety
of the Black Hamburgh, and often cannot be distin-
guished from it. :
Blussard Now.
{ Chasselas Hatif Petit.—Too small to be worthy of
cultivation.
4 White Hamburgh—A very handsome grape, with
large bunches; the berries are oval; it is of second
quality.
@ Pitmaston White Cluster—A very fine early varie-
ty ; the bunch is of a medium size, the berries are round
and compact; this is a desirable variety. The Scotch
White Cluster is the same as this, or very much like it.
*{ Black Lombardy.—A. fine late grape; this is the
same as West’s St. Peter’s ; esteemed by those-who pre-
fer a sprightly flavor mingled with the sweet.
* When a vine in the spring has fruit clusters in large numbers on the
young shoots, it is said to “show fruit well.” A vine may do this and yet
be an unproductive variety,—as in the blossom, some kinds, under unfavor-
able circumstances, do not set their fruit; that is, the seed is not impregna=_
ted, and, when this is the case, the berry remains small.
304 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
@ Victoria Hamburgh—tThis is said to be a syno-
nyme of the old kind; but there have been specimens
exhibited which certainly appeared different. This va-
riety is now reported as exhibited in England, and there
is no doubt that it is an improved variety of the old
Hamburgh.
{ Muscat of Lunel.—tThis is a variety of the Muscat
of Alexandria, grown in a district of France, and with
smaller berries.
{ Tokay, Charlsworth.—Excellent, with a Muscat fla-
vor. The Gardeners’ Chronicle for 1847, page 624, says,
perhaps it is not different from the White Muscat of
Alexandria. The grape which I received under this
name from England is more like the White Frontignan,
but one month later than that kind
@ Wortley Hall Seedling.—A good, and very late
grape, with oval black berries; subject to crack, in some
~ seasons.
@ Red Traminer.—Good, with small round berries ;
has twenty synonymes. A much esteemed wine grape
on the river Maine. .
© Rissling White.-Ripens in the open air; the berries
are small, and the flavor good. This is much esteemed
as a wine grape near the Rhine; it has twenty-two syno-
nymes.
“ Black Tripoli.cHas round berries, not unlike the
Black Hamburgh.
@ Black Prolific—Has round berries, with large
bunches. It is good, but does not keep well, and ripens
unequally.
* Palestine Grape.—The bunches of this variety are
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 805
enormous, and the berries are oval, small, and white ;
the shoulders, or stems, are very fanuah and the pera
are in clusters, at long intervals; by no means a valuable
grape.
Suabe.
Lnverden.
Fromental.
“| lorentine.—Very like Black July.
Lalanchina.
{ August Muscat.—A seedling raised by M. Vibert,
of Angers, in France, from the grape called there the
Frankantal, (supposed to be what we call the Black Ham-
burgh, as it usually proves so, when ordered from
france ;) it is a very weak growing vine; the fruit is
black, of Muscat flavor, and is said to mature its fruit
earlier than any other grape; a vine in my grapery has
fruited the past summer, and the fruit was small and
poor. It is undoubtedly the earliest grape grown, and
will ripen its fruit, when highly forced, in three months.
q Malvasia, Karly White-—This is very like the Pit-
maston.
{ Golden Chasselas.—Has a very large round berry,
with a large bunch, and is very handsome; sets poorly
and cracks; ripens early, before the other Chasselas
kinds. This grape varies more than any other sort in
its ripening. Vines, raised from the same plant, grown
by myself, and never out of my premises, and equally
well situated in a cold grapery, differ twenty days in
the time of ripening their fruit this season of 1848.
_ Aleppo.—The bunches are large; it is a good bearer,
806 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
and a good grape; the berries often equally divided, one
half being black, and the other half white. Thompson
gives eight synonymes, and Prince nine of this.
“| Whete Vice. —Has very large bunches, with small
berries. The quality is good. The bunches are very
like the Royal Muscadine.
§| Hsperione.—The berries are small and black, and
the bunches very large, of third quality.
“| fed Chasselas.—This is a good bearer with a fine
flavor; the berries are as large as those of the Bar Sur
Aube. This may be distinguished from the Rose, or
Violet Chasselas, from the singularity of the berries,
which are colored from their first formation; at matu-
rity, it issometimes highly colored, but, not unfrequently,
is of a pale red; the young shoots are bright red.
{ Grosse Now of Lorraine.—A vine sent me as this,
has proved very like Black July.
@ Decon’s Superb—A white grape with oval berries,
very handsome, but ripens badly ; half the fruit is often
sour and worthless.
€ Prince Albert.—This variety will fruit this season
in this country. ‘“ Royal Albert grape forms a large,
rather loosely shouldered bunch, with black, somewhat
oval berries, and is later than the Black Hamburgh. It
requires to be compared with the large Black Ferrar, for
probably, it may be found not different.”— Gardeners’
Chronicle, 1846, page 344. It is distinct from the va-
riety grown by this name here.
4 Queen of Nice—This is a handsome fly with
large bunches and berries, but it is said to be a small
bearer; the berries are white, or greenish, and tinged —
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 307
with a red or rose color, and, when exposed to the sun,
more highly colored. This proves a shy bearer in the
forcing house, but has done well in the retarding.
€ Violet Muscat—A grape by this name, fruited by
me, has oval berries, but no Muscat flavor, and a poor
bearer.
{ Grosse Perle Blanche.—Sets badly, and has no par-
ticular value, with oval white berries.
“ Xeres.—This has proved to be the same as White
Nice.
§ Black Morse—Is like Black Hamburgh.
@ Purple Muscat.—Has not the flavor of the Muscat,
and is a poor bearer; sets badly.
{ Austrian Muscat—t|s not unlike the Grizzly; in
flavor and color, it promises to be fine; the berry, when
growing, is oval, and changes to round, or nearly so, at
maturity.
@ S. Charges Henling—A eek variety ; the berries
are very small, of good flavor, and’ remain sound for a
long time after maturity.
& Portien Noir.—A large roundish, black grape; re-
markably handsome, of peculiar flavor, and very late.
@ Gros Coulard.—Has large white grapes and is early,
ripened its fruit in my grapery in 1852.
4 Bishop.—ls very like the Portien Noir.
St. Peter’s of Alvers—The berries are large and
oval.
| Caillabee—A white sweet water, of no value for
grapery. |
— Partridge Foot.
308 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
4 Garden Tokay.—Red, with small, but very sweet
and rich sweet water flavored berries.
4 Hansteretto—Black; does not set well; this has
oval berries. Not worth cultivation.
Black Muscat of Alewandrva.
Red Chasselas of Vubert-—This is supposed to be a
hybrid of the Isabella and Chasselas.
% Chaptal—This is another seedling of M. Vibert,
with large, white, oval berries. Sets very badly, and
worthless for forcing.
Madelaine of Vibert.—Has berries of medium size and
oval.
Grosse Perle Blanche de Semis.—Seedling of Vibert;
said to have very large bunches, and the berries un-
commonly large and nearly round. Two other varieties,
from seed, by M. Vibert, with black-colored fruit, which
he calls Nos. 3 and 4, are early; but, as he does not
mention them as particularly good, it may be presumed
that their quality is not remarkable.
{ Lombardy Ired.—This is a late grape, with very
large bunches, and is the same as the flame-colored
Tokay.
@ Zenfindal.—The bunches are large, often with two
shoulders on the same side nearly as large as the main
bunch; the berries are medium size, round, and very
black, with a thick bloom; requires to hang several
weeks after coloring before it is ripe. I cannot find this
grape described in any book. Prince, in his treatise,
mentions, as a new grape from Hungary, one named Zin-
fardel; this may be the same.
{ Black Damascus.—The berries are large, oval, and
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 309
of a black color; does not set well, otherwise it would
be a most valuable kind.
{ Dutch Sweetwater—The berries are large, round,
and of a white color; when exposed to the sun, of a
russet tinge ; it is a pleasant grape.*
€ Whete Tokay—rThe berries incline to an oval
figure; in flavor, like the Chasselas. The underside of
the leaf has a fine down. Not so early as the Chasselas ;
shrivels badly.
§ Laisin de Calabre—A white grape of a musk
flavor, valuable for hanging late.
“| Black Morocco—The bunches are large, and dark
red or black; the berries are oval; it is of second qua-
lity, sets badly. ;
* Muscat of Alexandria.—The bunches are large, and
the berries are loose, oval, and when perfectly ripe, of
an amber color; the flesh is crisp¥and highly flavored ;
it does not set well, and requires artificial impregnation.
A late variety.
@ Tottenham Park Muse White.—Is like the above,
but sets its fruit better. Not so highly musk flavored.
{| Sweetwater, W hite-——The bunch is open, the berries
are round, the skin is thin; this is a good grape, but
does not always set well.
«| Syrian, White.—The bunches are very large, some-
times weighing twenty pounds. The berries are oval,
and the flesh firm, and, when allowed to hang until of
an amber color, very good. It requires a long time, with
much heat, to perfect its fruit.
* A orape, under the name of the “ New Dutch Sweetwater,” was ex-
hibited at the Horticultural Society’s Room, London, April 20th, 1847.
310 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
€ Verdclho.—This is a small, oval, white grape, of the
finest quality. The vine isa very strong grower, and
bears great crops. Itis a favorite variety for the table,
as well as for wine in Madeira and the Azores. It isa
later grape than the Black Hamburgh.
Blanche.—Is an early sort, with greenish white, and
oval berries, thin skinned and sweet.
q White Gascoigne.—A fine white grape ; the bunches
are quite large and compact, with shoulders; the berries
are inclining to oval, are subject to crack in moist wea-
ther, and do not ees well after fully ripe.
Bordelais or Bourdelas.—A. very delicate grape that
requires a high temperature, and a long season to bring
it to maturity ; the berries are oblong, and the bunches
are very large.
{ Muscat Blane Hatif—A grape by this name, lately
received as a new Rind from France, has proved the
Chasselas Musque.
Black Tokay.—A. wine grape.
Alexandrian Ciotat.—The bunches are large; the ber-
ries are white, of an oval form, with a thin skin. This is
a sweet grape, but sets badly ; do not think it worthy a
place in a grapery, but it may prove valuable, for open
culture, in the southern States.
§ Black Cluster—The bunches and berries are small ;
the latter vary in shape,—oval and round are usually
found in the same bunch; they grow very close together,
(as is the case with all cluster grapes,) and often, by their
own pressure, burst the skin, causing rot, which soon
spreads through the whole bunch.
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 3b
@{ Black July—Very rouch like the Black Cluster.
An early variety.
q{ Miller's Burgundy.—the fruit is like the two pre-
ceding, but it is distinguishable from the above by the
white down on its leaves, from the mealy appearance of
wuich it has derived its name. Of the three preceding
varieties, Mr. Thompson gives eighty-four synonymes,
and adds two varieties as distinct: the Scarlet-leaved
Black Oluster, a wine grape of poor quality, and the
Black Cluster, nice, which he represents as loose grow-
ing. These three, the Black Cluster, the Black July,
and Miller’s Burgundy, so far as the fruit is concerned,
may be considered the same; they color early and ra-
pidly, and, when perfectly black, are as sour as any one
could wish; by hanging four or five weeks, they become
very good; but they are so small, and require so much
thinning, and usually having five large seeds, that they
can hardly be deemed worthy a place in the grapery.
{ Black Prince-—tThe bunches are long, and often
shouldered ; the- berries are oval, of a good size, and
color well; this is a good grape; it sometimes cracks ;
the skin is thick, and, in this respect, is inferior to the
Black St. Peter’s. It sometimes keeps well on the vine;
at other seasons it rots badly.
@ Black St. Peter's —The bunches are large, long, and
sometimes shouldered; the berries color well, and have
a thin skin; this grape also sometimes cracks. It hangs
well after it is ripe, and is, on this account, one of the
_ most valuable grown in the grapery. I find the keeping
qualities of this grape uncertain; it some years decays
suddenly after it is fully ripe.
312 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
@ White Bual.—The bunch is compact; the berries
obovate, white, and thick skinned; late and good.
Knights Variegated Chassclas—This is said to re-
semble the Aleppo; the bunches are loose, and the ber-
ries are round and sweet, with a thin skin; itis of second
quality.
@ Chasselas, Rose or Violet—This is a good grape;
in the appearance of the bunch, and in every other re-
spect but color, resembling the Chasselas of Fontaine-
bleau ; when ripe, it is of a rich red, or rose color.
{ Chasselas de Bar Sur Aube.—This grape has very
large long bunches; the berries are round, of medium
size, and, when fully ripe, of an amber color. When
pruned upon the long-cane system, I have had bunches
measuring fourteen inches in length ; it seldom shoulders.
{ Chasselas of Fontainebleau and the White Chas-
selas, appear to be alike in every particular. They differ
from the above in the shape of the bunch, which is often
shouldered. 3
{ Loyal Muscadine.—This grape, in respect to the
size, color, and flavor of the fruit, or berry, corresponds
exactly with the Chasselas de Bar Sur Aube, Chasselas
of Fontainebleau, and with the Early White Museadine
of the French, yet, in the size of the bunch, it is quite
distinct ; the Royal Muscadine growing to a very large
size, and having large shoulders, the bunches often weigh-
ing four, five, onl six pounds.
q Larly White Muscadine.—This is a wradribiee of the
Chasselas, and in no way distinguishable from the White,
or Chasselas of Fontainebleau, except in the time of
ripening, which may be ten days earlier. I have culti-
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 3i3
vated several other varieties of French grapes, sent over
as distinct, but cannot discover any difference in them
from the above; all the White Chasselas grapes, when
perfectly matured, change to a golden, or amber hue,
if grown in a situation fully exposed to the sun. Mr.
Thompson gives twelve synonymes of this grape, and
classes the Chasselas of Fontainebleau and White Chasse-
las with them. But there is no question that the grapes,
cultivated in this country under the names of Royal
Muscadine and Chasselas de Fontainebleau, are quite
distinct.
{| Josling’s St. Alban’s.—Has proved to be Chasselas
Musqueé.
Sahibee.—An East Indian variety, introduced to the
Horticultural Society’s Garden, Turnham Green, by Col.
Sykes. It is stated to be an abundant bearer. The
bunches are said to be large, shouldered like the Black
Hamburgh, and quite as handsome; the berries are oval,
about the size of the Muscats, without that flavor, and
have a fine rosy tinge on the side next the sun.— Garden-
ers’ Chronicle, 1847, page 511. The color of this grape
corresponds sumewhat with that of the grape described
as Queen of Nice.
* Bowker—This is a grape raised in the garden of
Joel Bowker, Esq., of Salem, Massachusetts, from the
seed of the Bloom Raisin, imported from Malaga. It is
a great bearer, the fruit handsome, the bunch large,
closely set, berries roundish, inclining to oval, white, and
of a pleasant flavor, without any musk. It is quite as
handsome as the White Hamburgh, and a better fruit ;
it succeeds best in a poor soil.
14
314 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
Corinth, Black.—This is a small round grape, of
second quality, from which is made the black currant of
commerce.
Corinth, White—This is also small; the color is
white; from this grape is made the Sultana, or Seedless
raisin. According to Mr. Thompson, there are fifteen
synonymes of this.
Cornichon Blanc.—A. grape of second quality; it is
said to keep well; the skin is thick, the flavor sweet, and
the bunch large and loose; form of the berries elliptical.
Mr. Thompson gives fourteen synonymes of this variety,
and Mr. Prince, five.
@ De Candolle——This grape has a round berry, and is
of areddish color. It is valuable as a table fruit; it
ripened in my grapery in 1848, and has very large
bunches. i
q Herrar, Black.—This grape was received from Por-
tugal. The bunches are quite large ; the berries are oval,
compact, and very black, of medium size; the flavor is
peculiar, not unlike that of the cherry ; the flesh is break-
ing, or crisp; it isnot generally esteemed, but very much
liked by some. It is a very handsome variety.
{ Black Frontignan—tThis is a fine early grape, of
Muscat flavor; the bunch is long, the berry is round and
black, and of medium size. Mr. Thompson gives thir-
teen synonymes of it.
Blue Frontignan.—This is a good grape of a slightly
Muscat flavor; the berries are roundish, and not so large
as the Grizzly, or White Frontignan. The Violet Fron-
tignan and Black Constantia are synonymes of this.
{ @rizely Frontignan.—The bunches are of a good
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 815
size; the berries are round and colored, as the name de-
signates ; it ripens early, and is one of the richest Mus-
cat-flavored grapes. According to Mr. Thompson, there
are thirteen synonymes to this.
— & White Frontignan.—This variety has bunches often
quite large; the berries are round, and, when fully ri-
pened in an exposure to the sun, are of an amber color.
The Black, White, and the Grizzly are, in flavor, very
much alike, when grown under the most favorable cir-
cumstances, so far as respects quality; but, for a variety
in color, it is desirable to have the three; the Grizzly is
the earliest of them. The synonymes are twenty-two in
number.
Gros Leouge de Provence.—The bunches are loose ; the
berries roundish and black, and of second quality.
Petersburgh.—A black grape, with loose bunches ; the
berries are round, the skin thick, and the flavor sweet.
« Lechmere’s Seedling.—Has proved the same as Ma-
cready’s Early White.
Grosse Guillaume.
Longford’s Incomparable.
_Schiras—This is said to be a very fine grape lately
received from Persia.
4 Poonah.—This is a large, late black grape, very
handsome, and of second quality.
* Morinet—A grape recently received from France.
It has a long, loose bunch, with oval, white berries ;
fruited, in 1848, in the collection of Messrs. Hovey
& Co. |
| Macready’s Early White——This is a new variety ;_
it has been fruited the past few years. It is a white
- 316 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
grape, with an oval and rather small berry. I do not
consider it any better than the Pitmaston.
€ Portuguese Muscat—A. variety of the Muscat of
Alexandria; it is more musque-flavored, and sets its
fruit better.
¥ De Lhinelander.—This is a white grape, and said
to be hardy; under glass, it has proved not unlike White
Chasselas.
{ Cambridge Botanic Garden Grape-—This fruit is
black, and esteemed by many as quite equal to the Black
Hamburgh; it has been fruited in _ country by R.
L. Colt, Esq., of Paterson, N.J.
Barbarossa.—This is a new black grape, advertised
for sale in England. It is represented as having berries
as large as the Hamburgh.
{ Gross Bleu—A new grape, very like the Black
Hamburgh. Messrs. Hovey, who have fruited it, state
the foliage to be quite different, however.
{ Gross Gromier du Cantal.—Parsons & Oo., of
Flushing, near New York, have fruited this variety.
They represent it as of second quality, but a great
bearer ; color, foxy purple; berries a little larger than
the Red Chasselas. From the first description of this
new grape in Europe, 1 have been of opinion, that it
would prove a synonyme of De Candolle, or Flame
Colored Tokay.
4 Chasselas de F’lorence.—This new grape was proved °
in Hartford, Conn., last season, (1852,) in the grapery of
Charles L. Porter, Esq. This gentleman says, “ It-is a
fine Chasselas, equal, perhaps, to the Bar Sur Aube, and
of the same character.”
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. SLT
§ Muscat Fleur d’Orange.—This grape came from
the French gardeners, who spoke of it as the best of all
Muscats. So far as the first year’s trial is any evidence,
it is hardly worth cultivation. The berries are oval,
with a little musky flavor; skin less thick than the Mus-
eat of Alexandria, color the same. It cracks a good
deal, and seems to partake of the character of the
Musqué Chasselas. This fruited in 1852, in the collec-
tion of Mr. Porter, who furnished me with the above
descriptions.
Bronze Grape.—This name is given to a fruit seen and
eaten in Syria by J. V. C. Smith, M.D., of Boston, who
saved the seed and brought them to this country, pre-
senting them to the Massachusetts Horticultural Society
for distribution. I raised several vines from the seed
coming to me. Having compared the foliage with the
Syrian, Muscat of Alexandria, and Queen of Nice, kinds
which I thought it most probable to be, find it quite un- .
like either of them, and the chances are in favor of ob-
taining a new and valuable variety.
“ dlusqgué Verdel—tThis is a seedling of my own, a
cross, naturally, of Verdelho and Grizzly Frontignan, and
partakes of the marked peculiarities of these grapes,
being musque-flavored, and having the thin, rich pulp of
the Verdelho. Thus far, the berry has been rather
small, under size, but as it yearly improves, hope it may
prove valuable.
Seedlings.—I have many seedlings not named, that
have fruited the past years of 1850, to 1852, inclusive.
They resemble the White Chasselas and Black Ham-
burgh, generally; one, from seed of Wilmot’s Black
318 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
Hamburgh, is very handsome, but more sour than the
original. Mr. Amos W. Stetson, of East Braintree,
Mass., has many seedlings from the foreign varieties
coming into fruit. This gentleman exhibited a bunch
last season from seed of the Grizzly Frontignan, no
doubt crossed with the Black Hamburgh. It, ripened
early; was very black, medium sized, and of rich,
sprightly musque flavor. Several other persons have
seedling vines coming into bearing, and a few years will
show if we have anything to hope from these efforts of
hybridizing. These same gentlemen have, many of them,
Hybrid Grapes in bearing, or coming into fruit this sum-
mer of 1853, of crosses between the Vitis Vinifera, or
European sorts, and the Vitis Labrusca, or American
species. Judging from the variety of wood and foliage of
these new grapes, it does seem, that the prospect is very
good, that we shall soon have native hardy grapes that
will ripen in open culture. Some of these will be de-
scribed in the list of American species.
Viris LapruscA.—-There are several American species
of the grape, according to Prince; and the same author
gives over one hundred varieties of this species. For
general cultivation, the first two on the list are the most
valuable ones. _ esa
Tsabella.—This is a native of South Carolina. Mr.
Prince, in his Treatise ‘on the Vine, says that this grape
+3 named in honor of Mrs. Isabella Gibbs, who introduced
it into cultivation in New York. The berries are black
and oval; the bunches are of a medium size; it has a foxy —
flavor.
=
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. $19
Catawba.—This grape is said, by Mr. Adlum, to be
a native of Maryland. It is one of the hardiest and most
productive of the American varieties. The berries are
red, or purple, inclining to black. These two varieties
are now so extensively cultivated, and their good qualities
as table fruit and for wine are so well established, that it
is unnecessary to say more of them. It also has the foxy
flavor, and requires a longer season than the Isabella.
Liand.—This is one of the best native grapes. It has
less of the foxy flavor than the Isabella and Catawba; it
is not a great bearer, and will not ripen in Massachusetts.
Diana.—A. seedling raised in Massachusetts from the
Catawba. It resembles its parent, and is ten days earlier,
and will ripen in seasons when the Isabella and Catawba,
similarly situated, will not; a strong recommendation in
its favor.
LE lsingburgh.—A. good flavored, very small grape.
This is valued by many for the table ; it is free from the :
foxy flavor.
Lenowr.—A. very excellent table grape; perhaps supe-
rior to any of those described. It is believed to bea
seedling of the Burgundy grape. It has very much the
habit of a foreign vine. The bunches are very handsome,
large, compact, and not much shouldered.” —Downing’s
fruits and Fruit Trees of America. This grape is not
known much in Massachusetts.
Norton’s Virginia — Vitis Nortoni, Prince, (small.
A native of Richmond, Virginia; said to be a cross be-
tween the Bland and Miller’s Burgundy; it was raised
by Dr. N. Norton. Mr. Downing says it is very produc-
tive in the garden, or vineyard, especially at the south,
320 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
where many kinds rot. In Massachusetts, it is a small
bearer compared with the Isabella; this may be owing
to the wood of the vine not ripening perfectly, in conse-
quence of the shortness of the season.
Olio.—This grape has been introduced into cultivation
by N. Longworth, Esq., of Cincinnati. The bunches are
large and long, the berries small, round, and black, the
flesh tender, juicy and sweet.
Scuppernong.—ts a distinct species found growing wild
from Virginia to Florida; there are two kinds, the black
and white. The bunches are small, usually of five or six
berries, which are large and round. It is quite tender,
and will not live at the north. See description of this in
North Carolina vineyard account, and in Florida vineyard
culture. The Honorable A. G. Semmes, of Quincy, Flori-
da, says this grape is a native of Greece, and is known
there as the Alaric, and that the richest wines are made
from it.
Missourr.— Vitis Missouriensis, Prince. A grape
used for making wine in Ohio.
Herbemonit’s Madewa.— Used also for making wine.
Alexander’s.—A wine grape, native of Pennsylvania.
Sage.—This grape was found by Mr. Henry E. Sage, of
Portland, Connecticut, growing wild on the margin of a
small stream, and was removed by him to his garden, as
early as 1811. It is represented to be near a lilae color.
From Mr. William Leonard, of the Shaker Society, I re-
ceived two vines, and an account of the fruit and of the
well-established reputation which it has in the vicinity
where it was found. Mr. Leonard made a visit to the
place, and saw the plant in fruit; he measured some
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 321
berries, which he found four inches in circumference.
At the nurseries of the Shaker Society, Harvard, vines
of this grape may be found on sale, and, probably, at the
farm of Mr. Sage, Portland, Connecticut. The foliage
blighted badly in my sarden in July, 1848. In the au-
tumn of 1852, Mr. Sage sent me a quantity of the fruit
of this vine. It is the best Fox Grape I have ever eaten,
and, when fully ripe, has but little pulp. It_will be
esteemed by those fond of the peculiar flavor of our
native grapes, and disliked by others of opposing tastes.*
* The following are extracts from two letters of Mr. Sage to Mr. Leonard,
giving its history, etc. :—
“ Portland, Oct. 1st, 1846.—The vine was taken from the margin of a
small stream, in quite a secluded spot, some thirty-five years since, and has
been a constant bearer many seasons, yielding in great profusion.
** Perhaps I shall be considered selfish, but must say they are the richest
flavored grapes I have ever tasted. The pulp is very soft and juicy. They
commenced ripening about two weeks since, and are now dead ripe; they
will not drop from the vine when ripe, as many grapes do, but will remain
(unless gathered,) until they get perfectly dry, and their flavor is so very
rich, that a few bunches, in a room, wili perfume it for months. For mak-
ing jelly they are not surpassed. H. E. SaGe.”
“ Portland, April 8th, 1848.—I this day received your line requesting in-
formation about the ‘Sage Grape.’ In answer to your.inquiry, ‘Is it a
great and constant bearer?’ I would say it is a constant bearer, and would
be a prolific one, were it not for the rose bugs, which have almost wholly
destroyed them for some years; it always blossoms full, and, just at this
stage, the bugs appear to make their havoe.
“Seasons when not destroyed, the vine has been borne down with the
fruit, probably as many as twenty bushels have been gathered from the
vine which you saw; the bunches, in such seasons, are large and full; the
berries very round, and their average girth three inches, and many of them
much larger.
“The soil of my garden is rather of a dry, loamy nature, and brings forth
vegetation pretty early. I have never used any kind of manure for my
vine, and have scarcely taken the trouble to build a place for it to ran
upon.
“JT would recommend rather a dry soil for its cultivation, and in a situa-
14*
822 THE, CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
Shurtlef’s Seedling.—The description of this grape is
in the words of Dr. Shurtleff, who furnished the account,
at my request, for, this purpose. A gentleman who
fruited this last year, represented it as being very good.
“Tt came up in my garden in Brookline, in 1837. The
plant was of a delicate and slow growth ; it fruited on the
fourth year, and, on the fifth, it bore about four quarts.of
grapes of superior flavor ; al the berry was of a good
size, perfectly round, shoal the size of a Muscadine; the
bunches of aie akes bigness, and well set (wnleke the aida
fow grape); the stem pressed out like the Isabella; the
color black, with a peculiar ray, like the spokes of a whack
running from the stem to the eye of a lighter shade, the
whole grape covered with a bloom; it puts out two or
three weeks later than the Isabella, and ripens two or
three weeks earlier. The vine is a small grower, and
lives with me without protection ; it is situated on a
southeast angle of my house. The third year of bearing,
it was, unfortunately, split near the ground, and the pros-
pect of a good crop blasted. J have several young vines
which will probably bear this year. The fruit is free from
any foxy taste or pulp. I think it far superior to any
native grape that I haveseen. I do not know from what
seed it originated, whether from native or imported ; it
tion where the sun er stril
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. $23
appears to partake of the Sweetwater and Isabella in its
rich flavor. S. A. SHuRTLEFF.”
The foliage of this grape would indicate that it originated
from an American variety. —
Dr. Shurtleff bas another grape. It originated at Car-
ver, on a farm belonging to this gentleman (and which
has always been in the possession of his ancestors, since
the settlement of the country). It was found in the
woods, far from any other vine. The foliage indicates
this to be a seedling from an American variety.
Naumkeag.—A seedling grape raised from the Isabella
by Mr. Bowker, of Salem, which fruited, the first time,
(in 1848,) appears to have good qualities. It bore a large
erop, which ripened rather earlier than its parent; the
bunches resemble it in form and flavor; it has a pulp
also; the berries are above medium size, round, and of a
clear red, with a slight bloom.
Mr. Amos W. Stetson, of East Braintree, Massachusetts,
has several seedling vines of promise; they are hybrids.
The female plant used, being a large native red grape of
the forest, impregnated with the pollen of Black Ham-
burgh, Sweetwater, Catawba and Isabella.
He numbers them ene to six. Number four ripened
its fruit early in September, fourteen days sooner than the
Isabella; they are represented as being very hardy, great
growers, and very prolific. The fruit resembles the Isa-
bella, the bunch and berry being in shape and size like
it. The fox flavor of the native is retained, probably in
a greater degree than most people would like.
Another cross upon this, of the foreign kinds, would
® probably produce a hardy fruit, with less of this fox flavor,
324 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
and the seeds of it, without foreign impregnation, would,
most likely, yield other varieties, as a fruit, when it has
once sported from the original, is almost sure to continue,
generation to generation, to do so.
Lvarly ren is the name given to a native grape re-
cently brought to notice by the Shakers at their nurseries,
Harvard. The specimens of fruit sent me, elosely resem-
bled the Rose Chasselas, and were free of pulp and fox
flavor. It is the best native fruit that I have yet met
with. It is said to be hardy, not subject to mildew, and
several weeks earlier than the Isabella. If, on extensive
trial, all this prove true, we have an invaluable acquisition.
Wm. W. Valk, M.D., of Flushing, Long Island, New
York, has succeeded in raising a grape of much promise,
by hybridization. He fertilised the Black Hamburgh
with the pollen of the Isabella, differing from the plan
pursued by Mr. Stetson and myself. We used the Isa-
bella and native wild grape as the female, and fertilised
with the Black Hamburgh and other foreign kinds.
Dr. Valk says it is hardy, the fruit is thin skinned, with
« soft and pleasant pulp, wholly unlike the Isabella, and
equal to the Hamburgh in every thing but size. The
foliage resembles the Hamburgh, though some think it
distinet.
There are several other native American seedlings in
this vicinity, which are recommended by persons who
have eaten the fruit. As they have not been proved in
garden cultivation, it is deemed best not to enumerate
them.
THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 329
CONCLUSION.
THE grape vine, in Italy, and in Spain, and the islands
of the Mediterranean, as also in its native position, is
found to be a plant attaining great age and size; not-
withstanding this, the cultivators of France have so
changed its characteristics, that, in some districts there,
by their skill, you may find it brought almost to the con-
dition of an annual; two or three years being the usual
time at which they are renewed by layering, and being
so close, that it is with difficulty you can pass among
them.
With regard to soil, they present as striking a contrast ;
they are successfully cultivated in vineyards, where there
appears scarcely soil sufficient to retain moisture enough
to keep life in the plant; vineyards, enjoying equally
good reputations, are situated where the soil is a rich
loam.
Climate and exposition, as well as soil and manure,
have a great bearing on this cultivation. What these
3826 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE.
effects are, I trust, has been (in the language of others,
and by notes of my own,) made sufiiciently intelligible
to be made of practical utility. If this has been ac-
complished, my object in preparing this Treatise has
been attained. That the cultivation of the grape, in
these United States, is to be vastly increased, there can
be no question. How far European theories and modes
of cultivation may be suitable here, is yet to be proved.
That the grape is susceptible of an almost endless di-
versity of the modes of cultivation, has been fully es-
tablished.
INDEX.
» PAGE
Bones, good effect of, : “ C . 252
Border, compost for, (See Soils for i ape- sic! borders, ) : 45, 46
covering for, : . 62, 65, 69, 81, 83, 94, 137, 140, 255
drain for, : é 3 ‘ : 44, 71
heating of, : ; ; é i> 1b Sy SONGS
preparation of, . : ; : . 43, 53, 54, 65, 71
renovation of, s . 64, 110
the growth of vines, and Bend effect 4 differently made
borders, . ‘ : : : 289, 290, 293
Conclusion, ; : ; 325
Difficulties of Oe in ne in New Mastate ‘ 7, 139, 140
Diseases of the grape vine :—effect of over-cropping, : : 124
effect of sudden changes, : 9
mildew and blight, ; : LIS *:
“ . rot, : 5 . « 209, 212
rust, . ° ° . , Tag
shrivel, . . . 98 to 110, 124
Drains for border, how made, ; , : : , 44
substitute for, . : i - ae eas 89
Florida culture, 5 ‘ ; s : 232
Forcing the vine, ; ; : 66, 17, 81, 114, 116, 122, 125
difficulties of, ; : : ‘ 8, 139, 140
remarks on, - : 135
rules for managing aie ets 137 to 146
Furnace, how constructed, : é he see ees : 36
view of, ‘ ; - : ; : 40
Glass, burning of the vine, : : : ; : 258
Glass-houses, cost of, . ; : 30, 32, 33, 34
house for forcing, and thie’ hot- Ronee. difference in ae 135
how constructed, : ee F ; E 24
of what form, . : ; : . 21, 22
view of lean-to house, P a a 31
view of span-house, (frontispiece.)
828 INDEX.
Grapes, description of American varieties, , :
description of foreign varieties,
new kinds, how to raise,
thinning of berries,
varieties for the cold alah
varieties for cultivation in the open air, ee 158,
.
PAGE
. 318 to 324
297 to 518
149
122, 123
299
194, 196, 197, 201,
206, 212.
varieties for cultivation at the south, 4 : 207
varieties for forcing-house, 4 : : 3 299
varieties for general planting, , - : ; 297
varieties for the retarding-house, : . . ee
Grape-house, how situated, : 2 : : o £S,20
Grape vine, age of, ; : : ° 4 : 15
age of, for planting, . : . ‘ : 112
bleeding of, , 138
composition wash for idling nae : : 120
cultivation in the grapery for five years, . 114 to 130
cultivation in the open air, 155
cultivation in the retarding-house, . 147
cultivation of, in pots, 145
early fruiting of, 86, 89
forcing of, ‘ : 66, 7, 80, 114, ‘116, 121, 136 to 147
fruit, proper quantity to ripen, 122, 125, 130,’ 151, 247, 268,
272, 273.
grafting of, 113, 198, 203, 215
history of, . ; At
how cultivated in the etoduiaiee 120
how protected in the grapery in winter, 117, 120
how raised, 73, 90, 218
how to plant in gr aeeee (See Planting.)
= how to plant in the vineyard,
179, 198, 202
how to protect from the frost in the open air, 156
how trained in grapery, (see Training.) 116
how trained in the vineyard, 181, 195, 204, 213, 216, 217
limit to its successful cultivation, 15, 18, 178
pruning of, (See Pruning.)
pruning, representation of,
rapid growth of,
remarkable for age or size, etc.,
vineyard, cultivation of, in U. &.,
vineyard cultivation, Huropean systems,
115, 155, 219, 234
81
130, 134
158 to 219
161 to 190
INDEX. 329
PAGE
Grape vineyards, manuring of, ‘ . 50, 186, 187
watering of, f ‘ a 1, 116, 121, 122, 141
Guano, how to be used, ; ; 146, 252
Heating apparatus, advantages of a Gemnticn wien ste intending to
foree, . : : ( ‘ 3 : ; 134
furnace, ‘ : . P “ 36
hot-water pipe, . 4 ° a 38, 140
Polmaise system, . : . : 39
Insects, how to destroy, : ‘ 5 , . 120, 127, 153
injurious, ‘ = ; ° 120, 127, 145, 153, 199
Introduction to first edition, ‘ a3 : A : 7
- to third edition, . . . : : 3
Leaves never to be thinned, ‘ ‘ . Ls F 124
Liquid manures, (See Manures.)
Manures, do they affect the flavor of the fruit, ‘ . 253
for the vine, 48 to 50, 54, 56 to 59, 62, 72, 164, 166 to 175, 182
to 187, 189, 190, 197.
good or ill effect of, : : : 263, 293
liquid, | : : s Bil, “64, 58, 173 to 175, 293
remarks on the use of : : : - 243 to 294
slaughter-house, what it is, . 4 61
Mildew, remedy for, : : - = : 118, 123, 156
training to prevent, . 3 ° ° 2 230
what it is, Y é ° : - : 119
Planting, : : : ‘ ; ; 74, 111, 190
at what age of the vine, . : ° : , 113
at what time, : 112, 113, 190
Pruning, 75, 84, 120, 127 to 130, 140, 147, 151, 191, 213, 217, 219, 234
different systems of pruning and training explained, 219, 234
representation of, ‘ : 115, 155, 219 to 234
Rain, quantity of, : : - ? : 89, 90
Retarding-house, how to ities : ‘ 5 ‘ : 147
list of vines for, , . : : 296
Shanking and shrivel, sa ; . 98 to 111, 124, 125, 139
Shells, the object in using, : ‘ ° = 89, 90, 264, 265
Soil, effect of dry or wetupon the vine, . i : : 195
requisite for the vine, : . . . 45, 46, 249
Soils for grape-house borders, A. Forsyth, - ‘ . ‘ 53
Abercrombie, . . 172
C..M. Hovey, ‘ F or 246
Charles McIntosh, . ; 55
330 INDEX.
PAGE
Soils for grape-house borders, Clement Hoare, . ‘ : 55
De la Quintiney, é . 56
Gardeners’ Chronicle, 57, 58 to 78
James Roberts, ~. ‘ oy Ae
Jasper Wallace, Zs : 53.
John Rogers, ; 2 d 53
Mr. Hutchison, ‘ ‘ 267
Mr. Loudon, ‘ : . 54
S.A.M., ; , : 53
Speechly’s, ; 47
Soils for vineyards, : 162 to 185, 188, 196, ‘217, 231
Temperature of the ue aun, : 2 F 137 to 146
of the grapery, . C . ‘ , 125, 126
of the greenhouse, : i : é 120
Training, representation of, . é ‘ 115, 155, 219, 234
the vine, . = 191, 195, 204, 213, 217, 219 to 234
Trellis for the vine, how eile z , : 192, 205, 213
Underhill, Dr. R. T., letter from, . : ; ; : 240
Vineyards, exposition for, ; ; : ‘ 160, 161, 217
Watering the vine, : : : . i T1612 P22; Pst
Weather, difference of, .: . e ° j 89
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