44 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



gave a fine crop of corn, and a small yield of potatoes, for which 

 the land was not so well adapted. 



In the spring of 1864 I had the land ploughed ten or twelve 

 inches deep, which I judge from my own experience is suffi- 

 ciently deep for all practical purposes, and is really a better 

 preparation in our climate than trenching deeper. If you trench 

 or otherwise prepare the soil, twenty inches or two feet deep, I 

 admit you make a larger pasture or feeding ground for the roots 

 of the vine ; but when the fruit comes to ripen, my experience 

 has been, (and I have thoroughly tried the experiment,) that it 

 will take more than one week longer to ripen the crop on trenched 

 ground, because the roots run deeper, and do not get the full 

 benefit of the sun's heat. 



All writers and cultivators of the grape here at the North tell 

 the new beginner to select a warm, sunny piece of land for a 

 vineyard. And why ? Because, to produce fruit to perfection, 

 there must be a considerable amount of heat at the root. This 

 is undoubtedly true. Then why prepare the soil so as to 

 encourage the roots to run so deep as to lose the benefit of the 

 very thing you have selected a sunny exposure for, viz., heat ? 



The land having been ploughed as I stated, was harrowed ; 

 the rows measured off ten feet wide, and furrowed twice in a 

 row, and straight. I then have a small line with a white string 

 run through it at every six feet, which is tied to the stakes at 

 the furrows, and stretched fairly over the same ; then with 

 shovels or spades a hole is opened directly under the white 

 strings, leaving it a little higher in the centre than at the out- 

 side, and sufficiently large to spread all the roots out evenly, 

 and immediately plant the vines while the dirt is fresh and 

 moist, the top of the vines under the white strings, which makes 

 straight rows, and the vines at an equal distance. This is the 

 best, most satisfactory and expeditious method of planting vines 

 among all others that I have tried. 



As to trimming, you will see that I have tried a method of 

 coiling the vine around strong stakes or posts, two to each vine, 

 set two and one-half feet apart, and growing two arms from the 

 main stem of the vine, which arc eventually spur trimmed, one 

 of which is tied to each stake, for two purposes : first, to check 

 the sap and keep the bottom spurs strong ; second, it prevents 

 the chafing of the tyings, and keeps them securely on the poles. 



