. Amateur fruit growing. Fruit-culture. 44 TEE GKAPE. gradually worked in around the vines as they grow until the holes are full. On heavy soils, especially those quite moist, it is not safe to plant deep, and eight inches will probably be found about the right depth in most locations. In planting vines to be pruned on the one-cane system, which is generally practiced by grape growers in this region, it is best to incline them somewhat in the direction in which they are to be trained on the trellises, this should be in the direction of the prevailing summer winds. Cultivation.—Soon aft^r plant
. Amateur fruit growing. Fruit-culture. 44 TEE GKAPE. gradually worked in around the vines as they grow until the holes are full. On heavy soils, especially those quite moist, it is not safe to plant deep, and eight inches will probably be found about the right depth in most locations. In planting vines to be pruned on the one-cane system, which is generally practiced by grape growers in this region, it is best to incline them somewhat in the direction in which they are to be trained on the trellises, this should be in the direction of the prevailing summer winds. Cultivation.—Soon aft^r planting the vines should be well cultivated, and some hoed crop that will not shade them may be grown between the rows for the first two years. After this the vines will need all the land. Cultivation should consist of a shal- low plowing early each spring and during the summer. The top soil should be kept loose and light by shallow cultivation. Deep cultivation or much cultivation late in summer is not desirable in a vineyard, and it may cause serious injury. If the land is lightly plowed each spring no large surface-roots will have time to form; but if this is neglected for several years large surface-roots will get started, and then plowing may seriously injure the vines. Pruning and Training are the great bugbears 1o amateurs in grape growing, and the attempt to follow some peculiar method has dooe more than anything else to discourage the growing of this fruit by farmers. As a matter of fact vines will grow and bear fruit without any pruning whatever. Pruning is done simply to get the most good fruit from the least amount of vine, and for prac- tical purposes it is a very simple matter. There are, however, many systems described in books, and occasionally used in prac- tice, that are quite complicated and difficult for a beginner to un- derstand. The practical points to have in mind in pruning grapes are: (1) That the old wood which has borne fruit once never bears again. (2
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectfruitculture, bookyea
