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AN ESSAY

On the Preperation of Soil, and

Propagating and Planting of Grape Vines

Read before "The Missouri State Horticultural Society," at St. Louis, Missouri, January 11th, 1865.
By Dr. H. SCHRODER, of Bloomington, Ill.

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Mr. President, and Gentlemen:--

You must not expect from me, a foreign born citizen, a very highly finished essay, on even so great a subject as that of Grape
Culture.

I can only tell you in simple language, my observations and how I have carried them into practice,

The main points in Grape Vine Culture, are: 1st. The location of the Vineyard ; 2nd. Its aspect ; 3d. The soil of the Vine-
yard; and 4th. Its preparation. After these, come Kinds and Varieties of Grapes, each different, perhaps, for different aspects
and different soils.

Vineyards should be located, when possible, on high lands. It is not necessary to plant Vineyards on hillsides only, or on hills at
all, though I prefer such locations. The vicinity of stagnant ponds or narrow sloughs, should be avoided. Lands with a stiff clay sur-
face, or with a blue clay for subsoil, will never make good vineyard ground.

It is not necessary that vineyards should always be on timber land.

I have seen vineyards that were planted years ago, with Concord and Catawba on the open and unprotected Prairie, and have
seen that they have done well.

The fruit grown on these vineyards was very fine, all large compact bunches, having the finest bloom I ever saw. The fruit con-
tained all the saccharine matter any could expect to find in grapes such as the Concord or the Catawba.

The most favorable aspect for a vineyard, is the Southern, South-Eastern, South-Western, or Eastern.

If on hills, and they not too high, or too steep, a western, or even a Northern aspects, and they have done finely. The fruit was larger and
richer than either of these varieties dare to be when grown in any of the Eastern States. Even Dr. Grant, or Mr Deliot, would
have to admit that they were superior grapes. Therefore. if you have to use a Western or a Northern aspect, I would advise you to
choose these kinds. In such a case I would advise you to run your rose North and South, while on all other aspects I should ad-
vise the rows to be planted East and West, especially if you use trellis. The proper preparation of the soil has always been a great
item, and has frightened a good many from going into the business.

The teaching that the ground must be trenched two or three feet deep, has been a great draw-back to grape culture, and I say it
is time to declare emphatically that it is not necessary now, particularly, as "Father Abraham" is at work and needs all our Irish
laborers, for "the trench and tented field." IF we had to trench all our vineyards in the old way, neither America nor any part of
the great west could ever become a Grape country. Whisky would never be abolished, and Lager Beer would predominate. "Two
for five cents" would be the sign on every street corner. Therefore, I say, "forward," not only "on to Richmond," but "forward"
with Grape culture.

Mr. President, let me tell you that we are the pioneers of the New America. The future will point back to us and call us the
civilizers of the social System of this country. Columbus brought the cross ; the Pilgrim fathers brought the Bible, but the emi-
grant, especially the German, brought the principles, basis or foundation for the social republic, and our wide-awake, big-hearted
enterprising and intelligent American-born brethren have carried these ideas into practice, and have put our glorious country into
such a state that she, for all future, will be the very paradise of liberty!

I am convinced that if America does not go largely into culture of the vine and into wine making, whisky will yet make a
grave for liberty, while lager beer will stand by not guiltless in the bloody crime. Karl Heinzen, the most radical of all "radicals,"
truly says : " Whisky makes crude and beastly ; lager beer makes only stupid ; wine makes free, humane and glorious, while it
elevates and enlightens man's heart."

Mr. President, let us return to our theme. Call Jacob to bring out the team with the plow, and cry for Patrick with the spade !

The land for a new Vineyard should, when possible, be plowed in the fall or if in the spring, just as soon as the ground is dry
enough, To do this rightly, take a strong plow and plow as deep as you possibly can-- in the same furrow follow with a deep Tiller
plow, putting it as deep as the horses can draw, turning the subsoil, or at least well pulverizing it, and so go over all the land. If
you have time enough it will be better to let the land lie for a few days or weeks before laying off your rows-- eight feet apart is the
preferred distance. To lay off your rows and have them straight, take pols eight or ten feet long, and put them at the end of the
rows-- on each pole put a handkerchief, cap or a loyal, and if possible, a radical newspaper-- use the pols as a guide. Then with a
good team, plow a furrow straight between the poles from one side of the vineyard to the other,-- changing your guide poles for
each row. After making the first furrow across the field, returning make another furrow two (2) feet from the first-- so go up and
down each row with the plow until you have thrown out a ditch, say two feet wide, along where each row of vines are to be planted.
Now take Patrick with the spade, and have him spade the ground you have so plowed, as deeply as he can. That is, have him
spade the bottom of the furrow thoroughly. If you have rotten manure, ashes or compost, go along each row with your wagon or
cart, and throw in two or four inches of the manure into each ditch, covering the bottom well with it. Now put your plow on again.
and plow so that every ditch will be filled up and a ridge formed alone each row. By this plowing and spading you loosen the soil
two or three feet deep. This frequent plowing thoroughly pulverizes the soil, and leaves it in a fit condition to be penetrated by the
tender rootlets of the young vines. I will be seen that in preparing the ground in this way you will have an open drain on either
side of each row of vines. It would be better if all these side drains could empty into an open drain, of larger size, at the end or
ends of these small ones-- now you are ready for planting.

If you have no faithful German, go to work yourself-- with a common garden hoe, make a slanting, shallow hole into your
ridge, where you wish to plant the first vine. Take your vine from its water bath, in a bucket, where it should be kept until the
moment before planting, or from its grouted bed, spread out the roots and cover your vine. To every vine put down a small stake 3
or 4 feet long-- to this your vine is to be tied during its first year's growth-- trim your vine so that you have but one eve above the
ground. With your six or eight feet pole, measure off for your next vine and plant as before and so on until you get through your
vineyard. It you have anything suitable, it would pay you to mulch your vine row. It will save you many a vine during the hot,
dry days of our summers, and at the same time will enrich your ground.