Miscellaneous.

Western Star, Issue 346, 24 April 1880, Page 3 (Supplement)

Miscellaneous.

WINTER CARE OF GRAPES.

George W. Campbell'(a good horticultural authority), says hr the Ohio Farmer : “ The frequent occurrence of exceptionally cold winters, which destroy the fruit buds on the hybrid and partially tender varieties, and which mope or less injure the hardest grapes, reriders the subject of winter care and protection one*of much importance to; all grape-growers. .The experience of the winters of 1876-7 brought this matter very forcible to the notice of all who raise grapes in central and southern Ohie, where the extreme cold destroyed the prospects of many vineyards, by killing, or so badly injuring the fruit buds, that either partial, or; entire failures resulted in .nearly all cases which have come under my observation. : ;

; “Notwithstanding my former experience, •which had taught me to know and to do better, I left'all my vines unprotecied during that winter, and all the so-called hybrid grapes were killed to the ground. ;;Cph- f cords were so much injured -in the fruit buds that they yielded no fruit, although the wood was not killed, Delawares, except when trained on walls or buildings, were injured much the same. The Lady and Eva grapes, both white Concord seedling, were injured less than the Concord, and bore partial crops, after passing the winter in full, open exposure. A large early grape of the Hartford type, named Belvidere, and the Janesville, somewhat of the same character, proved hardier than Concord, and sustained but ; little injury.,. Jera vmlih '

; v ’‘The better way with all grapes, but especially with those not quite hardy, is to prune in the autumn, as soon as practicable after the fall of the leaves. If your vines are pruned and trained upon the renewal system, it will be a very small matter to lay them upon the ground and give a covering of two or three inches of earth upon the shortened canes, which is to be left on until all danger of severe

freezing is past in the spring. Tines so treated, even the tenderest varieties, have never; been injured with me, when those riot protected have been so badly killed as to yield no fruit. 1 ' - . *f. Following fthe example of hira : who locks the stable after the horse is stolen,T had all my Jvines carefully pruned 1 and covered the past fall. As the season so far.£ has been unusually mild, it may be they would have been as well without protection ; but l am perfectly 1 satisfied that persistent ' and regular protection every year is the only eburse, and that in the long run it will pay.: The extremely mild weather up; to the 3rd-;and 4th January of the present year has kept the sap4n circulation to some extent, both in vines and trees; and the sudden change from temperate to ten degrees below zero, I found would be disastrous to our fruit prospects. A partial examination of the fruit buds; however, shows much less;injury than I expected. Peach buds, although evidently swollen, and upon being cut open, showing the anthers and stamens quite prominently, were largely injured. Though a portion were killed, enough remain to give full crops, if no injury occurs hereafter. Grape buds-are so far entirely unhurt. The flower buds upon the Pyrus . Paponicai were so tar advanced on the first of January as to show their color ; but I think they were all destroyed by the subsequent cold. . It would be safe for those who have not yet pruned their grape vines to do so now,; during any mild weather, and lay them on the ground. This of itself often gives all the protection that is necessary,: thbugh a slight coveiing by a board laid :OveV them, or a*'few leaves, or severgreen boughs, or a little earth as above stated, renders it more certain. In northern regions, where the ground is covered with snow during the entire winter, no protection is better, and a simple laying of the vine on the ground after pruning, is alb that is needed for entire safety for all our native or hybrid crapes.” i -