ON THE PROPAGATION OF VINES. 323 



a day of sun is quite sufficient. A spot sheltered from 

 severe winds is also most desirable. When transplanted, 

 be careful of their small roots, and choose a mild day, (about 

 the first of April, or earlier, is a good season,) for the ope- 

 ration. 



By layers. This is a very expeditious mode of growing 

 young vines, provided the shoots be laid in pots ; but vines 

 raised from shoots, laid down in the open ground, should 

 be avoided as the worst of all plants : they make but few 

 roots, and, when removed, these nearly all die off from 

 being cut at the extremities in lifting, and the second year 

 of such a plant is not much in advance of a good cutting. 

 To grow vines by laying the shoots in pots, the following 

 directions, if followed, will ensure success : For each in- 

 tended layer procure a seven-inch pot, or a small box of a 

 similar, or even larger size, prepare some fine rich sandy 

 mould, containing a great portion of decayed leaves, then 

 take the shoot and run it through the hole in the bottom of 

 the pot till you come to the last three buds; close up the 

 aperture round the shoot with moss, cotton, or any elastic 

 substance, and then fill up the pot or box to within half an 

 inch of the top with the prepared soil, having previously 

 secured it in a safe and level position ; and, where it can 

 be conveniently watered during the season, this must be 

 attended to at least once a day. When there is not time 

 for this attendance, the pot or box should be plunged under 

 ground, and the layer placed thereon, and firmly secured, 

 so that its own force will not raise it up, then cover up the 

 shoots at least three inches, leaving space for occasionally 

 holding some liquid nourishment. Shoots may be thus laid 

 any time from the first of March to the first of April. It 

 must be clearly understood that the success of the opera- 

 tion depends entirely on keeping the mould in the pots 

 moist, treating it as directed for watering cuttings. The 

 plant may be separated from the vine about the first of 

 September, and instantly planted into its desired locality, 

 or put into a larger vessel, and there remain till planting 

 season ; the following year displace the tendrils and laterals 

 as directed for cuttings, and in pruning cut it down to with- 

 in three eyes of the ground. We may safely assert, that 

 it is a species of strangling to a vine in the first three years 

 of its growth, to be sparing of the knife, allowing, at once, 



