406 GARDEN MANAGEME^'T. 



fail to bring it to perfection. Nevertheless, its graceful trailing babit and 

 beautiful foliage render it higbly ornamental on the walls of a house ; and 

 in that sense it is worth cultivating, with the prospect of some fruit in favour- 

 able summers. It is also certain that in former days vineyards of con- 

 siderable extent were cultivated, some remains of which are still found in 

 Gloucestershire. 



1 193. The vine is propagated by cuttings and by layering. Cuttings, made 

 early in March or the latter end of February, may be planted about the 

 middle of March, The cuttings must be shoots of last year, shortened to 

 about 12 inches, or three joints each ; and if they have an inch or so of 

 last year's wood at the bottom, it will be an advantage. They may be planted 

 either in nm*sery rows until rooted, or planted at once where they are to 

 remain, observing in the latter case to plant them in a slanting direction, 

 and so deep that only one eye or joint is above-ground, and that close to 

 the surface. 



1 194. Vines are propagated by layering of the shoot of last year, or of a 

 part of the branch, laying them about four or five inches deep and covering 

 them with soil, leaving about three eyes above the ground ; they are also 

 layered in large pots, either by drawing the branch through the drainage-hole 

 and filling the pot with soil, or by bending the branch and sinking it four or 

 five inches in the soil and pegging it down there ; it may then either be grown 

 as a potted vine or, when fully rooted, transferred to its permanent place on 

 the wall or vine border ; in the latter case the soil of the border should be dug 

 out for three or four feet, as directed for other wall-trees, a solid concrete 

 bottom formed, with thorough drainage to carry off the water, and the border 

 filled in again, first with bones and other animal remains, then with limo 

 rubbish where that is available, and the surface with good loamy soil. In 

 this soil the vine should be planted, the roots being previously trimmed and 

 spread out horizontally, so as to radiate in a half-circle from the crown of 

 the stem. Under such an arrangement as this the vine comes rapiJly 

 into bearing. 



1 195. When the vine is approaching this state, and the leaves have fallen, a 

 general regulation of the shoots becomes necessary. In every part of the tree, 

 a proper supply of last year's shoots, both lateral and terminal, should be 

 encouraged, these being the principal bearers to produce next year's fruit. All 

 irregular and superabundant shoots not wanted should be cut out, and with 

 them all of the former year's bearers, which are either too close to each other 

 or which are too long for their respective places. Where it is not desirable 

 to cut out the branch entirely, prune the branch back to some eligible lateral 

 shoot, to form a terminal or leading branch. Cut out also all naked old wood. 

 The last summer's shoots thus left will in spring project fi-om every eye, or 

 bud, young shoots, which produce the grapes the same summer. The general 

 rule is to shorten the shoots to three, four, five, or six eyes or joints in length, 

 according to their strength, and cutting them back to half an inch, to about a 

 quarter of an inch at every eye, the strongest branches being limited to five or 



