37 



extent by practical and economical considerations. In the first place, 

 he has to decide as to what distance apart the vines should start in 

 order to get the maximum returns when fully established, and to enable 

 the work of cultivation to be carried on with the greatest facilities. 

 The next consideration is whether cutting, or rooted vines are to be 

 used, and how the plants are to be trained. Some difference of opinion 

 exists as to what distances the plants should be apart, and, consequently, 

 conflicting advice is given by authorities. The writer holds the opinion 

 that, as with other fruits, the Grape Vine requires sufficient room for 

 free development, and that it is a disadvantage to plant too thickly. 

 Better returns can be obtained from a vineyard of well-established 

 vines planted at the rate of 500 to the acre than from a similar area 

 containing four times that number. By crowding the vines they, after 

 a few years' growth, must necessarily show a falling off in vigour 

 through the competition of their roots and the diminished supplies of 

 light, air, and plant food. It is maintained by some authorities that 

 Grape Vines should be ' planted closer in the cooler regions than 

 warmer districts, but the writer disagrees with this conclusion. Close 

 planting not only lessens the vigour of the vines, but also, owing to the 

 large amount of foliage, retards light and heat, which are primary 

 essentials in ripening crops in late and cool districts. According to the 

 experience and observations of the writer, Grape Vines should not be 

 planted closer than 8 feet by 8 feet, and up to 10 feet by 10 feet. 

 These distances allow plenty of room for development, and facilities 

 for cultivating with horse-power. Currant Vines being of extra 

 vigorous habit, and requiring to be pruned long, should be planted from 

 fifteen to twenty feet apart. The plants should be so arranged as to afford 

 the greatest facilities for cultivating the ground and gathering the 

 crops. The simplest and most generally adopted practice is to plant 

 in squares, which admits of the ground being worked in two directions. 

 But, as a matter of course, when the vines are trellised, the cultivating 

 implements can only be worked in one direction. Care should be taken 

 in planting that the vines are regularly placed, so that the rows will be 

 perfectly straight every way. When the area planted is large, it should 

 be subdivided into moderately-sized blocks by cross-ways, sufficiently 

 wide for vehicles, so as to afford the greatest facilities for carrying 

 away the crop, carting manure, and other purposes. Planting may be 

 done at any time between the fall of the leaf and the starting of growth 

 in the spring, but it is not advisable to delay too long. On the other 

 hand, no advantage is gained by planting in the dead winter months. 

 If cuttings are used, they should be inserted so as to leave two eyes 

 above ground. They may be planted in slits made by the spade, or 

 small holes formed with a dibber or bar. Care should be taken that 

 the openings are uniform in depth, and that the earth is consolidated 

 round the base of the cuttings, and more especially in light soils. When 

 rooted plants are used, the holes should be made sufficiently large to 

 allow the roots to be spread out properly. Broken or bruised roots 

 should be carefully removed, as they will afford no assistance to the 

 plants, but may rot if allowed to remain. One year rooted plants 



