12 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



formed. In autumn after the foliage has fallen, the shoots are 

 trimmed to spurs of one or more buds, one only to grow, and the 

 vines are laid down along the bed and covered slightly with turf, 

 sea-weed, straw, hay, or evergreen branches. After the vine is 

 laid down, the plow opens a furrow between the hill and the post, 

 which is three feet from it (the outer sides of the bed), followed by 

 a subsoil plow * which cuts off all roots straying outside of the 

 bed. In April, the covering is removed and the vines are lifted to 

 the trellis. Superfluous buds are rubbed off. The bed is gradually 

 filled till level with the contiguous ground. It is kept free from 

 weeds during the growing season, and is open to the direct rays oj 

 the siin during the best ^mrt of the day. This matures the fruit 

 from one to two weeks earlier than that on vines whose roots are 

 shaded, giving it a higher flavor and greater market value. 



In a vineyard, these beds are ioviy feet apart from centre to 

 centre, and the trellis then is of double length, two sets of vines 

 from different beds meeting at the centre post. The intermediate 

 space of thirty feet between the beds may be cultivated or not. It 

 answers well for strawberries, one row under the trellis, and 

 another half way between the trellises, which are six feet apart. 

 The profit on these berries, with the writer, exceeds the cost of 

 working the entire vineyard. 



In a small garden, a main walk through the centre of it, running 

 north and south, after excavating and filling as above directed, 

 might constitute the bed for the roots, the trellises running at right 

 angles on each side of the vine bed or walk.-j- 



Vines on Buildings. — The root bed should be made as already 

 stated ; less width is needed for a few vines. It should be as 

 favorable as possible for the sun's rays, and away from the roots 

 and shade of trees. It is not necessary that it should be near the 

 building. The vines, with single canes, can be carried under walks 



* Where the plow is an objection, as in a small garden, the sides of the 

 trench for a part of the depth may be curbed with a two-inch brick wall, 

 thin flag-stone, slate, or tile, or where the subsoil is gravel it could be 

 used with liquid water-cement ; the gravel held between two boards, as a 

 mould, one inch apart, and the cement puddled in, and boards removed, 

 which would harden and resist the roots if it stood the frost. 



t In Fig. 2, A is the short stake to which the hill of vines is tied ; B, 

 vine bed in winter; C, vine bed in summer; D, vines in foliage; E, vines 

 pruned; F, trellis in winter; G, vines laid down and covered; H, line on 

 which the roots are pruned. 



