Bright's single stem

Preface To The Second Edition

The wide-spread interest which this little Treatise on Grape Culture has excited, throughout the United States, it will readily be supposed, is most gratifying to the author. Not only has a large edition been speedily disposed of, but the system of culture which we have advocated has been adopted by hundreds of grape-growers in all parts of the country ; and the various methods of management presented, have received the unqualified sanction of the most scientific, as well as practical cultivators, in Europe and America. Another year of experience and study, has served to strengthen and confirm our confidence in the merits of the system, and suggested some improvements in the minor details of practice, which we now present to the public in the second part of this edition.

Our system has been earnestly assailed by various writers, who have endeavored chiefly to show, not that the system is an imperfect or useless one, but that it is not new. We have frequently replied to these attacks, through the medium of the Horticultural journals, and we think we have proved that the system, in its general plan of culture, is new, and that it has never been practised by grape-growers, as a system, either in England or America. We think it must also be granted, that

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[ y PREFACE.

we have added to our specific system of culture, many new and useful suggestions, in respect to planting, pruning, constructing viae borders, the control of moisture, making composts, the use of fertilizers, &c. It is a significant, and to us a very gratifying fact, that the entire practice in grape culture, everywhere, is rapidly tending towards the very points which we at first presented to the public, in respect, particularly, to the importance of inside borders, with some degree of bottom heat, and to the usefulness of frequent renewals of the vine rods, by cutting back, to get new and vigorous wood.

The history of the world, in all ages, has shown how difficult it is to introduce into general use any new system or principle, in science or practical labor. Even if the new proposition is based upon sound principles, and is of the highest value to mankind, still it requires on the part of its inventor, to gain for it any general acceptance, a large measure of the three great forces, — time, faith, energy ; in other words, the pluck to " labor and to wait/' in spite of all obstacles. Our powers of endurance, in this respect, we confess, have not been so severely taxed as we expected. Our views have, in the main, met with a very cordial reception, and we look for their general adoption, with much confidence. If we shall succeed in making a great and universal improvement in grape culture, we will not conceal the fact that it will be to us a source of pride and pleasure, to be of so much service to our fellow men.

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The Single Stem, Dwarf and Eenewal System of Grape Culture.

We presume every grape-grower has felt the want of some simple, definite and efficient system of managing the vine, especially in the vineyard, and upon small arbors and trellises. After all the talk about grape culture, no one that we know of has any established method of pruning and training the vine, which ma> be pronounced a simple, complete and satisfactory sya tem. The German method, as practised at Cincinnati, it is admitted, is not well adapted to the production of perfect table grapes; and the Thomery system, advocated by Dr. C. W. Grant, though elegant and successful on high trellises, is not adapted to vines with loner joints, nor to general vineyard culture. To allow vines to range almost unrestrained over tall trees and immense arbors, is by many considered the perfection of wisdom, while it is literally a great system with no system at all.

All vines running to a great height, must of necessity have an immense length of barren cane in proportion to the fruiting wood, and this barrenness is yearly increasing. The best qualities of our native grapes, we feel convinced, can never be developed, unless a better method of pruning and training be adopted by grape growers; and with the hope of aiding the accomplishment of this object, we here present our system of culture, which, if not the best that can be devised, is, we believe, far superior to any system at present in use in the United States.

The " dwarf and renewal system," as we style it, though not entirely original with the writer, is the result of long experience in the culture of the vine, and embodies some methods of managing the grape, of great yalue, which are not generally known or practised by other cultivators.

The writer believes that his system is beyond all question the best that can be adopted for grape culture, in America, in all cases. It is, in the main, a method of fruiting the vine on a single, short cane, with very short lateral branches, — growing new wood from the main stem one year, and fruiting it the next; dwarfing the vine by a definite rule of stopping and pruning, and renewing the entire wood of the vine, (except a small portion of the main stem,) every other year.

This system possesses many important advantages over any other method of culture, which will become apparent after proper examination or trial.

BRIGIIT ON GRAPE CULTURE. 7

Its chief merit is, that it concentrates the entire strength of the vine roots upon a small quantity of young, vigorous wood, and produces larger and finer bunches of grapes than can be obtained by any other process. As to quantity of crop, it is equal, if not superior, to any other system of culture. Indeed, it is believed, that in the vineyard or elsewhere, this system will produce a larger crop of grapes than can be obtained from the same extent of soil upon long canes, under any of the ordinary methods of pruning.

The vines grown according to this system are more perfectly under control than when allowed to ramble over long ranges of wire or trellises ; they are more easily trained and tied up, or laid down in winter ; they can be kept in a more healthy and vigorous condition ; and when they decline in health or fruiting capacity, any entire vine may be readily renewed by layering, thus producing a new set of roots near the surface of the ground, without essentially interfering with the general product of the vineyard.

The common idea is, that the Isabella, Catawba, and other native American vines, must be allowed to ramble almost at will; it is contended that their wild, natural character demands this treatment, and that any attempt to cut them back severely, will injure their health and fruitfulness. This idea may be correct, as applied to any of the common methods of pruning, but it is not correct when considered in relation to the method of culture advocated in this work. It may be improper to prune severely an old vine, with a long cane, but' such is not our system. "We grow an entire vine one season, and fruit it the next ; we do not cut hack severely an old vine already grown. The vine under this system is allowed to expend its whole strength, wild rambling nature and all, during one season, in the production of a new and perfect cane ; the next season it is permitted to produce a full crop of fruit, as full and as heavy as its wood and roots are able to perfect. If this is not work enough for the roots, as much work, in fact, as any vine is called upon to perform, then we have made a great mistake in our estimate of the matter.

The opponents of dwarf culture declare that this system may answer for foreign grapes in pots, but will not answer for the Isabella, and other hardy native grapes; this opinion being based upon the idea that the native grapes, with their wild character, are more free in growth than the foreign vines. But this latter opinion is positively incorrect. It is not true that the native grapes are more vigorous or free in growth than the foreign kinds, as every grape-grower, who has ever cultivated the foreign kinds under glass, must admit. The whole theory upon which the dwarf culture of native grapes is opposed, is founded in error. The foreign vines are in fact vastly more free in growth, more wild, if you please, than the Isabella, or any other native ; vet the foreign vines endure the dwarfing process in pot culture, not only without injury, but with the highest degree of success. The same is true of the Isabella and

BRIGHT ON GRATE CULTURE. 9

other native vines. We have tried them in pots, on arbors and trellises, and in the vineyard, on our system, and have found the fears of grape-growers, as to the injurious effects of dwarfing, entirely without foundation.

Upon our system, in fact, the free flow of sap from the roots is not checked or restrained j it finds full and free outlet in the formation of wood, foliage and fruit, — as full and free as if permitted to run to the terminal points of a vine fifty feet long. We give the roots work enough to do, and they are never " made sick with excess of sap," as it is feared they may be, when the idea of dwarf culture is suggested. We know, by experience, the best of teachers, that what we say is true; and we can show the evidence of our knowledge and experience, in thrifty vines and large crops of the finest bunches of native grapes, grown upon the dwarf renewal system, in the season of fruit, to any one who may choose to examine them.

The truth is, that our dwarf renewal system of vine culture is perfectly adapted to native grapes, as well as to the foreign kinds ; it most perfectly meets the wants of grape-growers in the United States, in graperies and vineyards, and on arbors and trellises; and will afford every person who practises it, the highest amount of pleasure and profit.

We have purposely described the system of pruning, here advocated, in detail, in several sections of this work, as adapted to the cold grapery, vineyard, &c, preferring to make some repetition, rather than to fail of being understood by readers of different classes, who may wish to employ this system in the various kinds of culture.

The method of " stopping," which we have prescribed, is peculiarly our own, being the result of our personal experience and practice in pot vine culture ; and the detached and divided border for the vinery, is also quite original with us. We believe that we have been the first to publish any suggestion of such a border, and the first to construct a house on this plan.

We also advocate, more strictly and emphatically than any other writer that we know of, shallow and moderately rich borders, very shallow planting, surface manuring and heavy mulching, as necessary to success in grape culture.

The alternate renewal plan, which we recommend, has never before, we believe, been presented to the public, or practised in the vineyard, as a distinct and definite system, and may therefore be claimed as original.

Our method of top-dressing and manuring, and the combination of fertilizers employed, are, we believe, in many respects new ; and we feel assured that they are based upon scientific principles, which will bear the test of investigation and practical trial.

This work was originally intended to be simply a hand-book of instruction in the management of the grape vine in pots, and the system we advocate has chiefly grown out of our experience in that kind of culture; we shall therefore first treat of the propagation and fruiting of vine in pots. What follows, on the vineyard and grapery, we have been induced to add at the earnest request of several friends, who think as we do, that our system is well adapted to general use, and ought to be made public. We feel well assured that no one who may try this method of pruning will have any cause to regret it.

Culture of the Grape Vine in Pots.

The art of growing and fruiting the grape vine in pots, forms one of the most interesting, elegant, and profitable branches of modern horticulture. When well understood, the culture of the vine in this way will be found to be as simple and as easy as in the border, and even better suited to the circumstances and wants of numerous amateurs and gardeners.

Anybody who has a small forcing-house, may produce the best foreign grapes in pots in perfection, without the costly preparations of the vinery, and with very little trouble. If the grape, when fruited, is an elegant object in the vinery, it is much more so in the pot ; and when managed with skill, the mass of splendid fruit which" a single cane less than three feet in height is capable of producing, cannot fail to excite the admiration of every beholder.

A great many persons who have small green-houses, would like to raise grapes. To such, pot-culture offers peculiar advantages. The work of growing the vines can be easily and cheaply done by themselves or their gardeners, and the plants got ready in any number, (as

BRIGHT ON GRAPE CULTURE. IB

will be horeafter described,) and brought forward, say a dozen or two at a time, without interfering with the other plants, and fruited as soon as in a regular hot-house, and in great abundance and perfection.

For early forcing, the pot vine is exceedingly convenient. The owner of a vinery may desire a few early grapes, but it may be impossible or undesirable to heat the border early in the season, and go into general forcing. In such cases, with the control easily exercised over the pot vines, we may start them in the hot-house in the month of March, and after the fruit is set, ripen in the cold vinery, and cut the fruit in June or July.

There is great economy of space in pot-culture, which commends it especially to persons who have hot-houses of limited extent. Five hundred square feet of glass will ripen about two hundred and fifty pounds of grapes, in a common house, with border culture. In pots, five hundred pounds, at least, may be obtained under the same surface of glass, and the period of ripening may be more easily hastened or retarded ; thus in a single house greatly extending the fruit season.

G-rapes in pots may also be kept for three or four months upon the vines, after they are ripened, by removing the pots to a cool, dry, airy room — even in the parlor — thus presenting all the merit of a beautiful house plant, as an object of interest, as well as a delicious source of gratification to the palate. West's St. Peter's, Muscat, and several other late grapes, ripened in pots on the 1st of October, will keep on the vines, in a cool, dry, airy room, till the 1st of February or March.

As an ornament to the dinner table, or for decorating a room for evening parties, there is no production of the hot-house more truly magnificent in all respects, than a pot vine fully and properly developed, bearing six or seven bunches of the finest grapes, as they may be grown by proper dwarf culture, such as we shall describe in this work.

The early fruiting of dwarf pot vines is another advantage greatly in their favor, as compared with common vines. Vines are so easily produced in pots, that it is a matter of little consideration if you fruit them early, at the expense of the existence of the vine, while in the border you would be more careful to create a strong cane before permitting it to fruit. Vines may be struck from the eye, and forced into perfect and abundant fruiting in eighteen months. You may strike vines from the eye in March, and fruit them in pots the second season, moderately, without serious injury to them.

Properly and moderately fruited, the pot vine is .not destroyed, as many persons suppose, in one or two seasons, but may be shifted from small to larger pots, root-pruned, and again placed in smaller pots, for years, the proper nutriment for growing wood and perfecting fruit being added to the soil at each change of pots, and given in solution while bearing. A much greater variety of grapes may be grown together in pots in the same house, than by the common method in borders. When the roots of vines run together, it is well known that the strong-growing sorts are apt to injure and drive out the weaker kinds, as for instance, the strong-growing White Nice, Syrian, or Buel, planted in a border by the side of the Black Prince, or the Dutch Sweet Water, will so seriously check the growth of the latter, that perfect fruiting is almost impossible. With vines in pots no such accident can happen. Each plant is perfectly independent of every other, and they may be placed side by side without injury.

It will be here understood that we are speaking of true and exclusive pot vine culture — not that partial or mixed system which permits the roots of the vine to extend from the pots into a border.

In pot culture, grapes which it is impossible to ripen in the border without cracking, may be produced in the utmost perfection. The Chasselas Musque is a grape of this description. The cracking is due to excess of moisture in the border, which it is sometimes difficult to prevent. But in the pot we have entire control over the moisture, and hence perfect grapes can be produced.

A question which almost every man will ask, in respect to pot vine culture, is this : " Will it pay ?" We answer, most unhesitatingly, it will. We know it will pay. We grant that pot vines require more care and attention than vines in borders ; but they may be employed by many persons who have only small hothouses, without interfering with other plants, and without any great additional expense; large crops of early grapes (and late ones too,) may be obtained where none could otherwise be grown ; and the return, for the space occupied and care required, in pecuniary profit and personal gratification, will be found highly satisfactory.

Growing foreign grapes in hothouses is generally considered a sort of rich man's luxury. The pot vine may, on the contrary, be called the poor man's luxury. The grape in borders is generally grown on a man's own estate. The pot vine may be called the tenant's grape. In pots, the grape may be grown in any sort of hot-house, even in a three-light box, by the tenant of the humblest cottage ; and when he is suddenly called upon, by any circumstance, to remove, he may take his vine with him, at any season of the year, and continue its culture at his pleasure.

There are many persons who have much taste for horticultural pursuits, and for the culture of grapes in particular, not restricted in means, who yet do not find it desirable to erect permanent graperies. To such, as well as to the really poor man, the pot vine is a most desirable acquisition. In city yards, where a green-house only ten feet square can be erected, there the grape may be grown and fruited in pots as perfectly as in the most costly and extensive structures.

With these advantages of pot vine culture before us, we think we may safely say, that when the art of growing and fruiting the grape in this way becomes fully and generally known, it will be exceedingly popular.

It is an art which ladies may learn and exercise under circumstances well suited to their tastes, and may even be made a source of profit, as well as pleasure, by many ladies who would not choose to engage in any common gainful occupation. To the man of wealth, who has extensive hot-houses, it will add to his vines a convenient method of early forcing, and an elegant novelty for the parlor or the supper-party; and to the person of more limited means, it affords an opportunity to enjoy the pleasure of growing the richest grapes, at small expense, in the highest perfection. 2

Propagation and Culture of Pot Vines.

STRIKING FROM EYES, AND POTTING.,

To strike from eyes ; select good, strong, well ripened wood — the stronger the better — as soon as the vines are pruned. Be careful not to let the wood become dry. Place the wood in a cool spot, and cover it with damp soil or sand. About the first of March, bed each eye in plain bar sand, in a shallow box, at an angle of about 45°, so as to leave the eye slightly projecting. Keep the sand moderately moist, and place the box containing it in a bottom heat of about 80°, and under a solar heat of about 50° to 55°. The eyes will begin to break in about a month. Pot off in four inch pots, with equal portions of leaf mould, sand and loam. Plunge the pots back into the same bottom heat, increasing the solar heat to 65° ; and water copiously when the plant is becoming established.

SHIFTING POTS.

As soon as the pot becomes well filled with roots, s; in four weeks, shift the vines to seven inch pots.

BRIGIIT ON GRAPE CULTURE. 19

In the preparation of the soil for these pots, there is an opportunity for the exercise of much scientific skill. The common method is, to make a compost of old sod, and a little well rotted stable manure, with the addition of a small quantity of finely ground bones. The leading requirements of the vine, for the formation of roots and wood, are carbonaceous loam, alkaline phosphates silicate of potash, carbonate of soda and lime, and a good proportion of nitrogenous manure. Our method of making composts for vine borders, so as to combine the requisite iugredients in the proper proportions, will be given in another part of this work.

Proper drainage must of course be provided in the pot. Pack the soil firmly about the roots, and give water moderately till the pot becomes well filled with roots, then water copiously. About the middle of May remove the pots to the vinery, and treat them as you would any ordinary vine. Ilcmember that the vine is a gross feeder, and requires an abundant supply of water in sunny weather.

STOPPING THE FIRST YEAR.

Pinch off the leader when about two feet high, and stop all laterals at two joints. About the first of September withdraw water gradually, only giving sufficient to keep the vine from flagging ) by so doing you will have well ripened roots and canes about the first of October. The pots may then be placed in a cool, dry cellar or shed, where they will be protected from frost and mice — first cutting the canes down to two inches This concludes the first year's treatment.

SECOND YEAR — GROWING CANES FOR EARLY FORCING.

Pot vines selected for early forcing, should be brought into a temperature of 40° to 45°, about the first of February. First soak the whole contents of the pot in good, moderately strong, clear manure water, setting the pot for two hours in a tub partly filled with such a solution — the drainage of a barn-yard or manure heap, — or prepared by stirring up some well rotted manure in water, and dipping off the clear liquid when it has settled. The decomposition of the manure is hastened, and the solution is improved by the addition of a small quantity of potash or wood ashes, say half a pound of potash or half a peck of ashes to one hundred pounds of manure.

Increase the temperature to the first of March, about 10°. Water sparingly, merely to keep the soil moist, till the vines break shoots two or three inches long, which will be about the first of April.

SHIFTING POTS.

Now shift the vines from seven to eleven inch pots, making slight but well secured drainage, and filling the pot with properly prepared soil. Good, turfy,

BRIGHT ON GRAPE CULTURE.

half rotted sods, or good loam from an old pasture, with a handful or two of fine bone dust, or our special fertilizer, to each pot, and a little well decomposed stable manure, makes an excellent compost. Pot firmly, being careful not to bruise the roots in pressing down the soil, and place in the pot a stroDg stake three feet six inches long.

The temperature of the house may now be increased to 60° or 65° at night, and 10° or 15° more by day. Give air moderately at the top of the house, and keep the walls, floors, and whole house, in clear days, well sprinkled with water, so as to secure a very moist atmosphere.

STOPPING, TO MAKE DWARFS FOR EARLY FORCING.

By the middle of April, the vines will have made five or six inches growth, short-jointed and solid. Pinch off the leading shoot about one inch above the fourth eye. The three lower leaves will now develope very rapidly, and the lateral of the upper eye will make its appearance. When the upper lateral has grown two joints long, pinch it off within one inch of the main cane. The main eye will then start. If the three lower eyes are not very prominent, let the lateral of the upper eye run to three or four joints, in order to allow time for the lower eyes to develope their laterals. But when the lower eyes are very prominent, and the lower laterals are well developed, you may take off entirely the upper lateral.

The leader will start rapidly when the upper lateral is removed. As soon as the leader has made a few inches growth, pinch back the three lower laterals to one joint each. As soon as the leader has made five joints, pinch it off as before, and treat the new portion of the main cane as we directed for the first portion ; that is, encouraging the growth or stopping the laterals as required by their condition and progress.

As soon as the wood begins to turn brown, near the roots, showing any indication of ripening, remove all the laterals to within one inch of the cane, up to the fourth eye. Now leave the cane to run rather freely, occasionally stopping both cane and laterals, at discretion, according to growth. If you allow the cane to grow too luxuriantly, you will be likely to lose the lower foliage before the wood is well ripened, which will be fatal to the fruiting of the lower eyes the following season ; and an excess of cane, above sixteen eyes, will encumber the pot with an excessive quantity of roots.

By the middle of July, the last stopping will be performed. About the middle of August, water sparingly; only give so much moisture as will keep the vines from flagging. In the middle or latter part of September, the vines will show indications of going to rest, the foliage becoming yellow. About the first of October the pots may be placed in a cool cellar, where they will get moderate light; keep the soil just moist, admit cool air, but protect them from frost.

When the pots are placed in the cellar, cut down the

BRIGIIT ON GRATE CULTURE. 23

vines to two feet, or two feet six inches, still preserving the foliage as long as possible. The vines should he cut back a month before the foliage is gone, which gives the wood plenty of time to heal, so as to prevent bleeding when started in the spring.

SECOND YEAR CONTINUED — TREATMENT OF VINES FOR LATE CROPS.

"We will now consider the second year's treatment of vines grown for ordinary purposes, say for fruiting from the first of July to the first of September.

Bring these pots out of the cellar about the first or middle of April, and place them in a tub of liquid manure for two hours, as directed for early forcing. Then put them into the green-house, or cold vinery. If the weather is severe, cover them at night with a few leaves, litter, cloth or canvas, to give them some protection from frost.

About the first of May the eyes will commence to break. Disbud down to the two lowest and strongest eyes.

SHIFTING POTS.

Now shift the vines to eleven inch pots, filling the vacant space with sod, compost and special fertilizers, as before directed for forcing. Select the strongest eye, giving preference to the lowest eye, and pot close up to the shoulder of this eye, so as to get new roots immediately from the new wood. Water very carefully, till the roots extend to the outside of the pot j apply the water only to the ball of earth from the old pot, and not to the whole soil. A little basin may be made, with a rim of soil or sod, so as to keep the water near the stem of the vine. If you water the whole contents of the pot, the new soil will become sour before the roots penetrate it. This is a point of the first importance.