280 AMERICAN GRAPE CULTURE. 



mother plant requires some kind of prepara 

 tion, and should have age, before being tasked 

 -to produce plants in this way. No vine should 

 be expected to produce good fruit and layers 

 at the same time ; we may go further, and say 

 that no vine can produce good fruit and layers 

 for any length of time together. We say this 

 for the benefit of those who think they can per 

 sist in layering their vineyards without injury 

 to the fruit or the plant. 



A layer consists of a portion of cane laid 

 in the ground while still attached to the mother 

 plant, where it remains while taking root, and 

 until the end of the season, when it is detached. 

 The vine from which the layers are to be taken 

 should be at least three or four years old, and 

 the canes should have been well ripened the 

 preceding year. The canes layered on the same 

 plant should always bear a small proportion to 

 those not layered; for example, a plant of three 

 canes should not have more than one layered. 

 A layered plant is shown in Fig. 110 The soil 

 around the mother plant should be made fine 

 and mellow. A trench is to be made some ten 

 or twelve inches wide, and six inches deep, but 

 it must not approach nearer than two feet to 

 the mother plant, to avoid damaging the roots, 



