48 THE BOOK OF THE GRAPE 



ON RAISING YOUNG VINES 



The vine is very easily propagated. The stock may 

 be increased by layers that is young shoots or suckers 

 springing from the base or roots of established vines, 

 by seed, by grafting and inarching desirable varieties 

 on established vines, or by eyes ; the latter being the 

 most simple as well as the most efficient method of pro- 

 cedure to follow. This is how vines are 

 rooted from eyes. When pruning the vines 

 of any variety which it is intended to pro- 

 pagate, select the desired number of the 

 finest and best-ripened shoots, label, tie 

 together, and bury the ends a few inches 

 in soil in a shady place out of doors till 

 the beginning or middle of January, or as 

 early after these dates as a hot-bed or 

 suitable place in a forcing-house is available. 

 Then take them up and cut the wood clean 

 across with a sharp knife or pair of pruning scissors half 

 an inch on either side of the bud or eye, afterwards taking 

 a thin slice of wood longitudinally off the side opposite the 

 eye. Then, having previously placed a piece of crock 

 or cinder and a few half-rotten leaves or a little moss in 

 the bottom of each of the necessary number of three-inch 

 pots that is, pots three inches in diameter inside for 

 drainage, and rilled them to within about one inch of the 

 rim with a light sandy mould, placing a little sand on 

 top, press one short length of the grape vine prepared 

 as indicated above into the centre of each pot, the 

 " barked " side being placed flat on the sanded surface, 

 covering with mould of the same description. Then 

 plunge the pots to the rim in a box containing about 

 four inches of sawdust or leaf-mould, place over the 

 hot-water pipes or in the next best available position, 

 giving some tepid water to settle the soil, and then 



