534 Report of the Department of Horticulture of the 



may be filled in with surface soil, leaving a mound in the center 

 of the hole upon which the base of the vine is to rest. It should 

 be large enough to accommodate the roots without crowding. The 

 roots are cut back more or less severely, depending on their growth 

 and condition, but generally to about eight or ten inches from the 

 base. The top is cut back to two or three buds. The roots are then 

 spread out in the hole so that they are equally disposed in all 

 directions, the base of the vine resting on the mound, with the roots 

 sloping downward at quite an angle; then a little of the surface 

 soil is tamped firmly upon them. More soil is added and firmly 

 packed, until the hole is nearly filled, but the soil last filled in is 

 not tamped, leaving the surface soil loose. The vine should now 

 be deep enough so that the two or three buds of the top are just 

 above the ground. The following winter or spring the growth of 

 the previous season is cut back to two buds, for we should aim, 

 above all else, to get a good, well-established root system. Then 

 at the beginning of the second year we find our vine in apparently 

 the same condition as the year of setting. This spring we should 

 set the trellis posts, putting on but one wire. (See Circular 16 

 of this 'Station for trellis construction.) The trellis is not put 

 up to fix the future training, but to get the canes out of the way 

 for cultivation. Some fruit may set this season, but it should be 

 removed early. The following spring the vine is ready to be 

 trained permanently upon the trellis and a variety of systems are 

 presented. (See Circular 16, " Pruning and Training the Grape.") 

 The grower can choose the one he believes best suited for his va- 

 rieties and local conditions. The labor problem is an important 

 factor to be observed in this selection as it is more costly to 

 prune and tie some systems than others. 



Alleys. — When the vineyard is to cover more than three acres 

 it is best to provide alleys or driveways for each such area, these 

 to run both parallel and crosswise to the row. They facilitate all 

 vineyard practices, especially cultivation and harvesting, by per- 

 mitting ready access and shorter hauls. The alleys should be wide 

 enough to permit turning with a two-horse wagon. The tendency 

 is to provide too few alleys rather than too many. 



Tillage. — Frequent and thorough tillage is very essential for 

 the vineyard. The first spring operation is plowing under the 

 cover crops, with the single horse and gang plows. This can be 

 done as soon as the weather and soil conditions will permit. A 

 single furrow is plowed up to or away from the vines on either 



