464 [ THE VINE. 



nature have been so far hardly tapped, and sooner or 

 later the untiring activity of hybridists will not fail to 

 produce a good number of disease-proof and worthy 

 successors of the famous vines of Europe 



PROPAGATION. The vine is propagated by seed, by 

 cuttings, by layers, and by grafting or budding on other 

 vines. 



Propagation by seed is only recommendable for 

 the purpose of raising new sorts of improved quality or 

 of obtaining hybrids having the power to resist the 

 attacks of the many diseases to which the European vine 

 is so liable. In the case of Vitis Berlandieri, V. cinerea, 

 V . cor di folia and others which are difficult to grow from 

 cuttings, tiiey are generally propagated by seed. How- 

 ever, the propagation of the European vine on a small 

 scale by sowing some seed reserved from the best table 

 or wine grapes, should be recommended to the attention 

 of gardeners, as one or two improved sorts are almost 

 sure to be found even in a small batch of seedlings. The 

 seeds may be sown in March or April, and the seedlings 

 are planted out in winter when they are two or three 

 years old. In about three years more they will be strong- 

 enough to fruit, and those whose fruit fails to give 

 satisfaction may be grafted in the following winter. The 

 seed should be selected from well-ripened fruit, and 

 when collected may be kept in a paper packet, or better, 

 stratified in a pot with sand or dry garden soil until 

 required for sowing. 



The vine is very generally propagated by cuttings, 

 and the large development of its cultivation may be 

 ascribed chiefly to this easy method of propagation The 

 European vine will strike well from cuttings of any 

 quality and of- any age, but the method generally 

 followed by our vine growers is so good that it can 

 hardly be improved upon. This method which is of 

 ancient origin, and is also followed largely in most 



