ON THE PROPAGATION OF VINES. 321 



a better quality, than the weak vine. This difference 

 occurring every year, and even greater as the age in- 

 creases, is sufficient to amply repay for all the trouble and 

 expense incurred in making a suitable compost. How- 

 ever, the disadvantage of a poor soil may in part be com- 

 pensated for by planting the vines closer together. If, 

 indeed, vines could not be planted with any prospect of 

 success, except in borders purposely prepared, only a very 

 small quantity of grapes would be grown, compared with 

 what this rich and fertile country is capable of producing. 

 Many instances occur in towns and cities, around dwell- 

 ings and other descriptions of brick and stone erections, 

 which present very favourable situations for the training of 

 vines, but which, nevertheless, are so situated as to admit 

 of little or no soil being placed at their roots. In such 

 cases, if an opening can be made, twenty inches deep, and 

 as many wide, it will be sufficient to admit of the roots of 

 a young vine, which will support it till its rambling roots 

 have found their way under the pavement, or along the 

 walls to some more distant nourishment ; if a wider space 

 can be made, it will, of course, be better: loosen the sides 

 and bottom as much as possible, and fill up with compost, 

 as previously directed, and therein plant the vine. The 

 surface covering, whether of brick or stone, may be re- 

 placed after the soil has fully settled, leaving a hole about 

 six inches square to allow the stem of the plant to swell in 

 its future growth. The roots soon find their way under 

 the paving or along the foundation walls, and, indeed, in 

 every direction in search after food, and will extract nou- 

 rishment from sources apparently barren. The fact is, 

 that the roots of the vine possess an astonishing power of 

 adapting themselves to any situation in which they may 

 be planted, provided it be a dry one. 



ON THE PROPAGATION OF VINES. 



Vines are generally propagated in the open ground by 

 cuttings and layers. 



By cuttings. At the general pruning provide cuttings 

 or the preceding summer's growth ; choose such as are of 

 a medium size, well ripened, and short-jointed, cut them 



