THK VINEYARD AND SMAI,!, FRUITS. 319 



of the land not being as the furrows run, but from the 

 first to the last. Before planting, the water should be 

 run on, so as to see that the irrigation is so arranged 

 that it just reaches to within two inches of the edges 

 of the ridges. 



Planting and Cultivating. — The plants should 

 be set out a foot apart on the south side of the ridges, 

 two inches above the water-mark, so that the water will 

 not run over the crowns. They then draw up the 

 moisture through the roots by capillary attradlion, 

 and the surface of the beds does not bake as it would 

 do by flooding. The fruit is not damaged by muddy 

 water. In transplanting, it is best to have the roots 

 spread out fan-shaped, and the soil should be well 

 packed around them, which we consider of great im- 

 portance. Plant, if possible, on a cloudy day; but if 

 this cannot be done, the plants must be irrigated at 

 once. Run the cultivator through the patch once a 

 week. A good irrigation every two weeks is usually 

 sufficient during the first season, and when the run- 

 ners begin to grow train them so that plants will be 

 six inches apart, which gives a narrow row. After 

 the desired space is covered keep the runners cut off. 

 Shading is a great help to newly set plants, especially 

 to those set in late summer or early fall, but of course 

 this is imprac5licable in the case of extensive planting. 

 Keep the cultivator going and do not allow the plants 

 to suffer for water. As the runners begin to grow, 

 let the inside shovel on the cultivator draw them 

 lengthwise of the rows. As soon as the ground freezes 

 in winter, cover the entire patch with coarse straw, or 

 light barnyard manure, as free from weed seed as may 



