1873. ] 



VINES AND VINE-CULTUEE. CHAPTER I. 



41 



Fig. 2. ViNB Eye. 



doing. The callus is produced below tlie bud, and generally first on tlie 

 upper side, ?.e., the same side as the bud ; it is seldom formed directly opposite to 

 the eye, excepting when cut very closely, and never beyond or above the eye. The 

 fact is, the roots are produced independently of the eye, from 

 any portion of the stem having an eye or bud above it, but 

 most freely, of course, where the cut is made ; and all that is 

 left above the bud is inert, and dies away. There is no advan- 

 tage therefore in leaving any length of wood beyond the bud. 



A good season for " putting in the eyes " is any time 

 during January or February. The earlier the operation is 

 commenced the earlier, of course, can the young Vines be 

 finished off. Some prefer cutting the eyes in Deceml^er, and 

 placing them in soil in pans in a cold frame until about February, 

 before they are put into heat; others cut them and place them in heat at once, 

 and that is the plan which I prefer. The beginning of February may therefore be 

 taken as a good safe midseason 

 for performing the operation. A 

 few days earlier or later are, 

 however, quite immaterial, much 

 more being dependent on the 

 after management of the plants. 



There are many ways of put- 

 ting in the eyes. They may be 

 placed in shallow pans, ?'.e., a 

 number of eyes in each pan, in 

 properly prepared soil, to be 

 potted off after they have made 

 some roots and have commenced 

 to grow ; or they may be (and 

 this is perhaps the best plan of 

 all) placed singly in small 60 

 pots, which should first have 

 some charcoal or broken crocks 

 put at the bottom, and then be 

 filled up with a compost of one- 

 half nice fresh turfy loam and 

 one-half leaf-mould not too rot- 

 ten, with a good proportion of 

 sand. When the pot is filled, 

 not over firmly, make a hole in 

 the top of the soil sufficiently large to hold a walnut, which then fill with 

 silver-sand, and placing the eye on this, press it down until the top of the 

 bud is just level with the top of the soil. The pots or pans containing the 



Fig. 3. Vine Eye started. 



