PLANTING. 83 



first row. Divide the lines (A D) into spaces equal to 

 the width of the rows, and the lines joining the cor- 

 responding divisions will be the proper lines of the 

 trellises. 



As many stakes or poles, 6 or 8 feet long, should be 

 provided as there are vines,, and these should be set 

 at the points where the vines are to be placed before 

 the holes are dug. These stakes will serve during 

 the first two years and will save the tear and wear of 

 trellises as well as the interest on the investment, 

 besides relieving some of the hurry incident to the 

 work of the first spring, which is always more press- 

 ing than that of any succeeding one. 



DIGGING THE HOLES. In digging the holes it will 

 be well to take up the stakes one at a time, and after 

 digging the hole to replace the stake, driving it 

 slightly into the soil at the bottom. By so doing the 

 centres of the holes, or at least the points where the 

 stems of the vines should come, will be easily kept, 

 whereas if all the stakes were removed before dig- 

 ging the holes, it would be troublesome to get them 

 exactly right again. The insertion of the stake, 

 before planting the vine, not only aids us in this, but 

 prevents the possibility of injuring the roots by driv- 

 ing a sharp stake through them, a thing which is 

 often done. The holes should be dug from 12 to 24 



