160 THE NURSERY. 



afterwards the hoe. If the ground be naturally adhesive, 

 a second or even a third plowing or spading may be 

 necessary in the course of the summer ; for it must, at all 

 times, be kept in a loose, porous condition, or the roots 

 will be deprived of the benefits of the air and moisture. 

 Stirring the ground so often that weeds barely make 

 their appearance is not only the best but most economical 

 culture. 



It need scarcely be added that, in using the plow or 

 cultivator among trees, a very short whiffle-tree should 

 be used, the horse should be gentle and steady, and the 

 plowman both careful and skillful ; and laborers who use 

 the spade or hoe should be duly cautioned against cutting 

 or bruising the trees with their implements. 



SECTION 5. PROPAGATION AND XURSERY CULTURE OF 

 SEVERAL FRUIT-TREES AND SHRUBS NOT USUALLY 

 GRAFTED OR BUDDED. 



1st. The Grape. During the last ten years, the culture 

 of hardy grapes has made great progress in the United 

 States. The demand for vines has, consequently, been 

 very great, so that nurserymen and grape growers have 

 resorted to every method of propagation that skill and 

 ingenuity could suggest. 



I think it may be truly said that a single establishment 

 has produced as many vines in one season as all the nurse- 

 ries in the Union did twenty years ago. 



Grafting, layering of ripe wood and green wood, long 

 cuttings, eyes, both of ripe wood and green wood, culture 

 in the open air and under glass some employing one, 

 and some the other, and some all of these combined. 



I shall proceed to describe, briefly, each of these 

 methods. 



(1.) Layering, which is the most simple, and the surest 

 for unpractised hands. There are two modes of layering, 

 one of the ripe wood, and the other of the green. The 



