The Somerset Herald

The planting of the vines is in rows eight feet apart, and from seven to eight feet in the rows for such free-growing vines as the Concord, Salem and Norton; and for vines that grow less freely the rows are seven feet apart, and from six to seven in the rows. Posts are set twenty-five feet apart, on which three wires are placed about two feet apart, to which the vines are trained in a fan shape. The Catawba, Delaware and Ives are pruned very close, only three canes for fruit-bearing being allowed to each vine, and there cut back to 2 to 3 feet long, or to 10 or 12 buds. This is the European method, and it accounts for the small product of fruit—only 2,000 pounds per acre—that such vineyards yield, or only about two pounds to the vine, when 10 to 15 pounds can be easily produced. This shows how hard it is to cause vineyardists to change their systems of pruning when once established.

The Catawba is still considered the best wine grape. The Concord comes next in favor, then Delaware, Ives, Norton's Virginia and Clinton.