126 HARDY GRAPES. 



gently pressed down with the foot. After the planting has beer 

 done in this manner, the surface should be covered, as far as the 

 roots extend, with some sort of mulch, such as straw, leaves, or 

 coarse litter. Planting may be done either in the fall or spring, 

 at any time after the leaves fall in autumn, and before the buds 

 burst in the spring, and when the soil is in a condition to be 

 worked. The success of the operation depends more upon the 

 care of the planter in the selection of suitable ground and its 

 preparation, and in the planting of the vine, than on the season 

 of the year when it is performed. When the vine is planted it 

 should be cut back to two buds, and if the planting be done 

 in the fall the mulching should be allowed to cover the vine 

 during the winter, but removed just as the buds are swelling in 

 spring, sufficiently to admit of their expanding without hindrance. 



When the young vines begin to grow, all the shoots but one, 

 usually all but the one nearest the ground, shoidd be rubbed off. 

 If the one nearest the ground seems to be feeble, or from any 

 cause unsuitable, then the next shoot that is suitable should be 

 retained, and all the others rubbed off. A small stake — a strip 

 of lath will answer very well for a season or two — shoidd be 

 thrust into the ground at each plant, and the vine carefully tied 

 to it as it grows during the simimer. Beyond this, the only 

 care required is to cultivate the ground lightly around the vines, 

 not suffering any weeds to grow among them, and giving the 

 roots every encouragement to grow and extend themselves, and 

 allowing the canes to grow without any other restraint than 

 merely tying them to the stake. This will complete the first 

 season's growth. 



It has been very generally recommended to prune the grape 

 in the fall, but every year's experience confirms the opinion that 

 in our climate it is on the whole much better to prune in the 

 spring. In some places and seasons the weather will be such 

 that pruning can be done in March, whUe in others it may be 

 impossible to do it before April. But pruning the vine is not 

 to be regulated by the day of the month. As soon as the wea- 



