106 OPKN AIR GRAPE CULTURE. 



against tliem have all been found materially to 

 increase the next year's product and to improve its 

 quality. But these are clumsy expedients, incapable 

 of systematic application and unfit for adoption on a 

 large scale. 



Where vines are trained to trellises in the manner 

 which, we have just described, it has been asserted by 

 many that it is impossible to lay down the horizontal 

 arms so as to cover them, owing to the rigidity of the 

 old wood, and in order to avoid this it has been pro- 

 posed to leave the head of the vine so low down that 

 the arms shall lie on the surface and be always co- 

 vered with earth. To this method there are many 

 objections. The berries are soiled with every rain, 

 clean culture is rendered more difficult, and the sur- 

 face roots thrown out by the arms cause a succulent 

 growth during moist weather, which suffers during 

 the succeeding drought. But if the vines are bent 

 down every year, little difficulty need be appre- 

 hended on this score, and if the following plan be 

 adopted, vines may be bent sufficiently, even when 

 they have become old and rigid. 



The method which we have proposed, is to place 

 the trelHs 8 to 12 inches in advance of the vine, the 

 stem being brought forward beneath the first slat or 

 rail, and tied up as usual. The accompanying figure 

 (17) explains this better than words can express it, and 



