they are to be planted. They should be of such a length that when 

 planted the base of the cutting will be at the level where the conditions 

 are most favorable to root formation. If the base is too deep, it will be 

 too wet and too cold to develop roots. Roots will start higher up and 

 the bottom part will be wasted, or worse still, may decay and injure 

 the vine. If the base is too near the surface the whole cutting may dry 

 out and die before its roots have developed sufficiently to supply it 

 with water. 



In the moister soils of the cooler districts a cutting 10 inches long 

 is sufficient for direct planting in the vineyard. In the drier and 

 warmer interior a 14- to 16-inch cutting is better, while in the driest 

 soils of the warmest districts it is often necessary to have a cutting 18 

 to 20 inches long. For planting in the nursery a 12- or 14-inch cutting 

 is about the most convenient. If the soil of the nursery is wet and cold 

 more of the cutting should be left above ground; if, on the contrary, 

 the soil tends to be hot and dry the cutting must be planted deeper 

 and even covered up completely. 



It is not necessary, or possible, to make every cutting of exactly the 

 same length, because they should all terminate at each end at a node. 

 A vine cane consists of nodes where the buds are and internodes be- 

 tween the buds. The pith is interrupted at each node by a woody par- 

 tition which extends through the cane at each bud. In making a cut- 

 ting, therefore, we should cut exactly through a bud both at the top 

 and at the bottom. This will leave the woody partitions, which will 

 prevent decay at the bottom and drying out at the top. 



Conservation of Cuttings. In some cases vine cuttings may be 

 planted with success as soon as they are made. This can be done only 

 in light, well-drained soils where there is no danger of the ground be- 

 coming water-logged and remaining in this condition for some time. 

 Except in such cases it is better to defer the planting of the cuttings 

 until most of the winter rains are over and the soil commences to warm 

 up in the Spring. 



To preserve the cuttings in good condition until this time they must 

 be kept from drying out or being injured by too much moisture. If 

 they are buried in sand or loose soil in such a way that at least the 

 butts are in contact with the soil they will keep well until April. The 

 sand should be comparatively dry and well sifted in to the centers of 

 the bundles of cuttings. These bundles should be small and if they 

 are to remain in the sand for more than two weeks they should be 

 loosely tied, or better still, not tied at all, but simply buried in thin 

 layers. Unless the sand is in contact with the cuttings nearly every- 

 where, many will dry out and die if the sand is dry, or they will mold 

 and decay if the sand is moist. 



A good place to bury the cuttings is a shed or cellar or on the north 

 side of a building. If such a place is unobtainable they may be put in 

 a hole at least as deep as the cuttings and covered up well with soil. 

 Over this soil should be placed a thick bed of straw, or other material, 

 to prevent the soil drying or becoming too warm. This last precaution 



