60 THE GRAPE. 



face, place the plant thus spread out upon it, and cover 

 with three inches of the same mould. It will be under- 

 stood that this mode of procedure will elevate the crowns 

 of the roots a trifle above the general level, which will 

 prove advantageous afterwards, as a top-dressing can be 

 added without their being buried down below the surface. 

 Avoid deep planting in all cases, for it leads to cankered 

 roots, and places them out of the reach of the warming 

 influence of the sun, and the exhilirating action of the 

 air, both of which are as beneficial to them as are light and 

 heat to the leaves and branches. It is not to be expected 

 that this particularity can be applied to the vineyard, but 

 so far as can be done economically, the same rule holds 

 good. Before planting, cut off the top of the plant to 

 about six or nine inches, or down to two or three good 

 buds. The advantage of leaving more than one being 

 the choice it gives of retaining the most promising when 

 started, when all the worst can be rubbed off. 



It is sometimes incoiiTenient to plant at the time above 

 recommended from some local cause, in which case, the 

 plants may be removed into pots, if so situated, jof a 

 larger size than those that they were previously in, put to 

 grow in some other house, and attended to as regards 

 heat and moisture, in the same manner as if in their final 

 resting place ; as the young shoots progress in growth, 

 they will require to be carefully tied to a stake fixed up- 

 right in each pot, and as the roots increase, larger sized 

 pots will be requisite to prevent them becoming pot-bound, 

 by which the vigor is consideraby checked. By attending 

 to these points, they may be kept on till June or July, 

 after which, if carefully turned out of the pots, without 

 disturbing the roots any more than can be avoided, a good 

 cane may be obtained the same season, though not often 

 strong enough to bear fruit the following summer j but 



