THE GRAPE. 121 



rich, deep soils, producing large shoots and leaves ; 

 but the shoots and fruit ripen later, if they ripen 

 at all. The best soil we consider to be that of a 

 light loam, not deeper than twenty inches, mixed 

 in with bones, old mortar, oyster shells, &c. " Ke- 

 tentive clays," as London justly observes, " are 

 the worst soil for the vine ; " they are particular- 

 ly so if upon a wet and cold sub-soil. 



The grape is easily raised from cuttings ; these 

 must be taken from shoots of the last summer's 

 growth, taken off the vine previous to the swelling 

 of the buds in the spring, or in the autumn, and 

 buried in a dry cellar. Shorten these to three 

 joints, and, when they admit, let each cutting have 

 about an inch of the previous year's wood at its 

 bottom ; they may be planted either in nursery 

 rows, or in places where they are finally to re- 

 main, observing to plant them somewhat slanting, 

 and so deep that only one joint or eye may appear 

 above ground. Vines are also propagated by 

 layers of young shoots, or with part of the branch 

 they proceed from ; laying them from three to 

 four or five inches deep in the earth ; leaving 

 three eyes of the shoot out of the ground, and 

 shortening the top, if too long. Or you may make 

 layers in large pots, placed near the vine ; and 

 either draw the layer shoot through the hole at 

 the bottom of the pot, and fill up the pot with 

 earth, or bend the layer into the top of the pot a 

 proper depth into the earth. In the former meth- 

 od, a strip of bark should be taken off qijite round 

 the branch, or a piece of wire drawn tightly 

 around, at the place where the roots are wanted. 

 In either method, when the layers are rooted next 

 autumn, cut them off from the parent vine. 

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