76 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



The soil should be prepared by deep plowing and subsoiling. Before 

 planting the vines should be cat back so only three or four bads of the 

 wood will be above ground. Dig holes at least one foot square and as 

 deep, with an incline on the lower or down hill side. Place the plants 

 on this incline, so the crown or collar from which the limbs grow is 

 placed not over two inches beneath the surface. Spread the roots 

 ( which should be first dipped in water, or paddled) cover them with 

 an inch or two of pulverized top soil and then tramp this firmly against 

 the roots. Fill in to near top and tramp again, but leave the last inch 

 or two of soil loose, so it can absorb moisture and admit rains. Should 

 the buds above ground fail to grow, because of some injury or by being 

 rubbed off in handling, then the soil about the crown should be care- 

 fully loosened in order to give the reserve cluster of buds which nature 

 has placed there, a chance to push out. 



TREATMENT. 



First year — This consists mainly in giving thorough culture and 

 keeping the plants free from weeds. As the vines require only small 

 proportion of the ground the first year, other crops, such as potatoes, 

 cabbage and other vegetables can be grown to advantage in and be- 

 tween the rows. While grapes should have good soil and good treat- 

 ment they should not be stimulated into excessive growth after the sec- 

 ond year. During the first year, however, push them as much as you 

 can and allow them to grow and ramble over the ground at will. If 

 the growth is interfered with by pinching back the new growth or 

 thinning out to one or two canes the root growth will be correspond- 

 ingly less, because a checking of the leaf growth also checks root 

 growth. No grass should ever be allowed to grow near the vines and 

 yearly clean culture with proper pruning is necessary for best results. 



Second year — In February or March cut back the leading central 

 cane to five or six buds and cut away all small canes or limbs. Put 

 up a trellis of posts and wire for the vines to run upon. Place the 

 posts between every third or fourth vine, and be sure to have strong 

 end posts, well braced. Staple three strands of No. II galvanized wire 

 to the posts. The lowest wire two feet from the ground and the other 

 two fifteen inches apart. Allow but three or four canes to grow up 

 from the most vigorous vines, and one or two canes from those of 

 lesser growth. Break off' all other canes as they appear, so as to 

 force all growth into the selected ones. As these grow up they should 

 be loosely tied to the wires. If not tied up as soon as they reach th-e 

 wires, many will be broken off by rains and winds. When the canes 

 reach a foot beyond the top wires, about seven inches of the top 



