PLANTING THE VINES. 55 



sand over muck. This is accomplished by first marking 

 out the ground, fourteen inches apart, with a small sled, 

 having three runners ; the vines are then dropped on 

 these marks, about two in a place, and fourteen inches 

 a])art, and pressed into the ground w^ith a spade-like tool, 

 placed on the vines about one-fourth the distance from 

 root to top. We have used a forked stick for the same 

 purpose ; but the blade is an improvement, it being more 

 easily foiced into the soil, and when removed, it leaves no 

 hole around the plants to dry their roots. It is important 

 that the vines should be pressed in at an inclination, thus 



Fii;-. '^4.— PLANTi\(; i>v i'iM;ssri;i::. 



bringing the tops near the ground, and causing them to 

 sucker up better than when pressed down perpendicularly, 

 for the reason previously given in drill planting. Figure 

 24 shows this manner of planting. The roots of the 

 vines should be brought into close ]>roximity with the 

 muck below", that they may be stimulated to grow more 

 rapidly. Women may be allowed to drop vines in this 

 way, but they should never be chosen for pressing them 

 into the ground. As a leaning posture is required, their 

 skirts have a tendency to drag the vines out of place and 

 waste them. 



Covering the a ines with sand was tried, a few years 

 since, by Theodce Budd, an enterprising cranbeiry 



