THE GRAPE. 41 



the spring, generally in March, these canes should be cut up into 

 pieces having one inch of wood be.ow and half an inch above the 

 bud. Boxes about the size of an ordinary soap box, but only four 

 inches deep, and having holes for drainage, should be prepared by 

 putting in one and a half inches of rich soil and then about the 

 same amount of clean ?and on top of it. Ttie cuttings should be 

 set deep enough in the sand to just cover the bud, putting them 

 two inches apart each way. The boxes may now be put in a gentle 

 hot-bed, or on a bench in a greenhouse, and kept moist. The cut- 

 tings should be rooted in about six weeks. When they have made 

 a good root srowth they should be planted at a favorable time in 

 rich soil out-doors. The time for this will be as late as the latter 

 part of May in this section. Very nice plants may be grown in 

 this way, but they do not make as strong a growth the first year as 

 long cuttings, and often need a second year in the nursery before 

 they are large enough for transplanting to the vineyard. 



SOFT-WOOD CUTTINGS. These are made from the green wood 

 taken off while the plant is growing. They are rooted in sand in 

 much the same way that florists root cuttings of geraniums, 

 fuschias, etc. It is a method used only where wood is very val- 

 uable, and as a means to increase new varieties. Plants grown 

 this way are apt to start slowly and to be weak until well started, 

 and should not be used when those grown from hard-wood can be 

 obtained. 



Layering. This is the simplest, surest and easiest method of 

 increasing the grape, and is the best way to grow them where but 

 few vines are wanted. There are two kinds of layers, which are 

 called spring and summer layers, from the season at which they 

 are made. 



SUMMER LAYERS are made in the summer, generally the last of 

 July, from a branch of the same season's growth. They are likely 

 to be weak for several years, and do not make as good plants as the 

 spring layers. In making them the wood should be slit for an inch 

 or so near the buds that are covered. Bury about one foot of the 

 cane four inches deep in the ground and it will be rooted by late 

 autumn, when it may be treated as recommended for weak year- 

 ling vines grown from hard-wood cuttings. 



Spring Layers. These may be made by laying down any 

 ane early in the spring. It will root in one season. By fall it will 

 have made a good growth of roots, when it may be cut from the 

 main cane, and if s'rong it may be divided into two plants. This 

 form of layer is illustrated in figures 28 and 29. By a little dif- 

 ferent treatment of the spring layer a vine may be grown from 

 each bud on the layered cane. For this purpose some thrifty cane 

 should be selected in autumn, pruned of its laterals and buried. 

 In the spring it should be uncovered and only one shoot permitted 

 to grow from each joint. After the new growth has started about 

 six inches from each bud the whole cane should be layered about 

 four inches deep, handling it carefully so as not to break the new 



