126 Propagation of the Grape Vine. 



roots, although its success depends, in a greater measure, on the 

 compost it grows in, and in keeping it in such regular order, that 

 the roots will not suffer, either with too much ivet, or drought. I 

 shall now consider the foundation laid, and ready for the compost. 

 In order to have the border two and a half feet deep, we must con- 

 sider that it will be necessary to allow something for the border set- 

 tling ; if it is taken up to the heighth of three feet, it will be found 

 to be none too high ; the longer it has been completed before 

 the vines are planted the better ; if these items are not particularly 

 noticed, and the vines planted as soon as the border is finished, it 

 would be found, when too late, to be a very great error ; for the soil 

 is sure to settle, more or less, according to the nature of the compost ; 

 and then by making the ground up again to the original level, the 

 roots of the vines are deeper than they were at first intended to be, 

 which will be very injurious. It will soon be seen that the holes in 

 the front wall through which the vines are introduced into the house, 

 must be cut out lower down, to free the stems of the vines. I have 

 not the least doubt that the grape vine, generally, where it is intro- 

 duced through the front wall into the house, will be found, on exam- 

 ination, to be somewhat injured by being pressed up too tight ; when 

 this is the case, they ought to be loosened immediately. This can 

 be remedied in some measure at the time of planting ; for instance, if 

 it is su])posed the ground will settle six or eight inches below what 

 is intended to he the level, and it so happens that the planting of the 

 vines cannot be delayed any longer, there is no alternative but to 

 plant them on the surface of the border, just covering the roots. This 

 w^ould bring tliem about right, by allowing eight inches or a foot for 

 settling. Wliere the sub soil is gravel or stone, there will be no 

 necessity of forming a drain, because it is probable there would be a 

 want of moisture, in such a situation ; the border might, however, 

 be made three and a Imlf feet deep, by twelve in width. I am of 

 the opinion that the roots of vines suffer more for the want of mois- 

 ture in this climate, tlian with too much, taking the seasons upon 

 an average. 



in tlie montlis of April and May, we frequently have one or two 

 days of heavy rains, and cloudy weather succeeding, with scarcely 

 any sunshine for some days, when the vines under glass are in full 

 leaf, showing fruit and growing freely. At times like this, I have 

 known the leaves, wood, and fruit, to be more or less injured ; some- 

 times the young v/ood is affected, that has attained considerable 

 strength, with a disease that I have compared to the rot, that sheep, 

 in some parts of the world are affected with. At first a small speck 

 on the wood is discernible, but it is frequently not taken notice of 

 before it has spread considerably. The rot, as I shall now denomi- 

 nate it, increases so rapidly round the young shoot, that it is soon 

 destroyed. The petiole, or footstalk of the leaf is often affected in 

 the same manner, and it not unfrequently makes its appearance on 



