182 THE HANDBOOK FOR PRACTICAL FARMERS 



square and three feet deep. Loosen up the subsoil. AVlienever 

 possible, secure old plaster from a house that is being torn down, 

 mix one-fourth part plaster with one-half part of garden loam 



and decayed sod, and one-fourth 

 part of bone meal and decayed 

 manure. Mix these and fill the 

 hole to within one and one-half 

 feet of the surface. Fill the re- 

 maining space with garden loam 

 and decayed sod. 



Plant the vine in the prepared 

 hole early in the spring. Train 

 to a trellis at least one foot from 

 the wall of the house. 



Fertilisers. — Soils in which 

 considerable humus, especially 

 crimson clover or vetch, have 

 been turned under, need little fer- 

 tilization. Stable manure and 

 legumes furnish the most impor- 

 tant fertilizer, nitrogen, for the 

 grape. No special commercial 

 fertilizer can be recommended on 

 account of the variability of the 

 soils. A little nitrate of soda ap- 

 plied to each vine each year after 

 growth has started wdll give good 

 results. 



Cultivation. — Clean culture 

 shows up to advantage in the 

 vineyard. It keeps the weeds 

 down, allows the air to get into 

 the soil, liberates plant food, eon- 

 serves the moisture and keeps 

 ^'''■vfne"~of mffexe^nt ages, "showing the soil in a good physical condi- 



ihe method of pruning by the re- tiou. As the viueS mature, the 



rthirr;™;, c; Sh ^ cultivation must be lighter. Do 



D, an unpruned vine in its fourth not injure the rOOtS Or viue. 



^^^^' "WTiere possible, sow a cover crop 



in late summer or early fall, of some crop that may easily be 

 destroyed between the vines by cultivation. 



Pruning and training. — One must keep in mind that the fruit 

 is born on the present season's wood. To have a fine quality 



