522 THE VINEYARD. [OCT.- 



The subject of planting and propagating the vine, being treated 

 of at full length in March, beginning at page 226, I refer you there- 

 to for the necessary information. 



In the middle states, rooted vines may now be transplanted, if 

 necessity requires it, but in no other case would I recommend it ; 

 and these should be protected by laying litter round their roots, 

 or some other suitable defence from the severity of the frosts. 

 Layers, however, may now be made with good prospects of suc- 

 cess ; and if you find it more convenient to procure cuttings at this 

 season than in spring, you may plant them ; but observe that it 

 \vill be necessary to cover them lightly with straw, fern, kaves of 

 trees, or some other light covering during winter, or many of 

 them will miscarry. Though these plants are extremely hardy 

 when once established, they are rather tender in their infancy, and 

 every advantage of season ought to be afforded them, especially in 

 those parts of the Union where the winters are severe. 



As to the practice of pruning grape-vines in autumn, it is not 

 advi'sable, except where the winters are very mild. In the 

 southern states this may be done, with great propriety, as soon in 

 this or the ensuing month as the foliage shall have been shed, but 

 by no means before, as while the leaves remain on, the vines will not 

 have done growing, and consequently the wood will not be sufficiently 

 ripe and hard. 



For further observations, together with the methods of pruning, 

 see page 139, Sec. See also, the Vineyard for next month. 



Planting Hallows for tying ufi the Grafle-vinesy &c. 



In the latter end of this, or the early part of next month, you 

 should make plantations of willows, for the purpose of tying up 

 the vines with the small flexible twigs thereof. 



Osiers or willows are also very useful in a garden, for tying 

 the branches of espalier trees to trellises, binding up lettuces* 

 cabbages, endive, Sec. far blanching, tying bundles of trees or shrubs, 

 making garden baskets, Sec. so that a small plantation, or hedge- 

 row of willows would be very useful in every garden department. 



The kinds most suitable for this purpose are the Salix ~viminaLis^ 

 or true Osier ' r 6\ j&ssc, or basket Osier ; and S. -vitillina^ or Golden 

 Willow. 



Willows of those kinds particularly, delight in- low moist situa- 

 tions, (though they grow to good perfection in a strong loam) 

 consequently, soil that is generally useless or f but little value, 

 may be profitably occupied by them. Make choice of such ground 

 and plough it deep, if possible, for the reception of the cuttings ; 

 if too wet for the plough, form it, with a spade and shovel, into 

 four feet wide ridges with deep trenches between, casting up the 

 earth out of the trenches to form the ridges high and rounding ; 

 in each ridge plant two rows of cuttings, each row a foot from the 

 edge, and the sets two feet and a half distant from one another in 

 the row. 



