grape-vine. 83 



are October and November in autumn, and in the spring 

 March and April. In ground properly prepared, a hole 

 is to be dug about eighteen inches deep, and wide enough 

 at bottom to allow the roots to spread out to their fullest 

 extent without binding. Any that appear broken or dis- 

 eased should be cut off. The side roots should be covered 

 shallow, and fine earth, or what is far better, rich compost 

 or vegetable mould added so as to fill up the hole. Then 

 pour in three or four gallons of water, after the sinking of 

 which more earth is to be added, and pressed down gently 

 with the foot. During the first season's growth all the 

 side shoots are to be pruned, so as to leave but two eyes 

 on each. 



In yards and gardens, along walls, fences, or open bor- 

 ders, low training may be adopted wherever there is suffi- 

 cient room. Vines may be conducted horizontally, so as 

 to extend a great distance under the projecting edges or 

 copings of a wall or close fence, especially where these face 

 the east. In cities they may be taken up from close and 

 gloomy yards to the tops of houses, three or four stories 

 high, and there spread out upon arbors, and exposed to the 

 influences of the sun and air, so as to be made produce 

 abundance of delightful fruit. Or, they may be trained 

 low like currant bushes, three, four, or more shoots being 

 allowed to grow eighteen inches or two feet above the 

 ground to give an annual supply of young bearing-wood. 



American fence-rows would seem to offer a peculiarly fine 

 situation for the grape-culture, the posts and rails offering 

 such admirable means of support. To what great profit 

 might the immense amount of land be put which is now 

 taken up by fences and entirely lost to culture, and this 

 too without injury to the regular grain crops from shading ? 

 Intelligent farmers would do well to adopt a course which 



