88 THE GRAPE. 
the fore part of May: we then take them up and plant 
them in a sloping position, In a somewhat shaded 
situation, leaving the upper bud a few mches above 
ground. In this way almost every cutting will surely 
grow, and after a year or two, should be carefully 
transplanted into the vine border. 
The preparation of this vine border is an important 
process in grape culture in private gardens. It should 
be made from four to six feet wide, and two to three 
feet deep, and be composed of a liberal mixture of 
limestone, or old plaster or mortar, bones, leather-par- 
ings, hair, ashes, and strong, well-rotted manure, well 
mixed with the soil. 
A calcareous soil or gravelly loam is best for the 
grape, and should be well drained and warm. It is 
somewhat difficult in wet clay lands to» raise good 
grapes, unless the vine border is carefully prepared. 
Soap-suds and wash from the house is favorable for 
the grape, and we have known some plants succeed 
well that were placed immediately under the spout 
of the sink. For vineyard culture, the nearer the 
process approximates to the one described above by 
trenching and enriching, the better. 
Every plant should be thoroughly pruned down to 
two or three leading shoots; and after these cover the 
trellis or stakes as extensively as you wish, then the 
rule in pruning is, every year from December to first 
