382 Grapes. 



degree of moisture, but never wet. It is the practice with some to 

 place a stratum of prepared soil (hereafter described) an inch 

 beneath the wood for the reception of the new roots, and sustaining 

 the young plants for a longer time than sand alone thus obviating 

 so early a removal into pots as would otherwise be required. Each 

 bud or eye need not occupy more than two square inches of surface. 

 When properly imbedded in the sand, a moderate heat should be at 

 first applied, not higher than fifty degrees the object being to com- 

 mence roots before sufficient warmth is given to expand the leaves. 

 For this purpose also, the temperature of the air in the house, 

 should be kept at all times at least ten degrees lower than that of 

 the sand. In a few days from the commencement, the heat may be 

 gradually raised, and as the leaves expand, it may be cautiously 

 increased to eighty and ninety degrees. It is of great importance 

 to avoid the checks given by sudden changes, from cold currents of 

 air, cold water, or remitting fire. 



When the roots have reached three or four inches in length, the 

 plants should be potted off into a soil prepared for this purpose, by 

 mixing about equal parts of clean sand and rich, rotten turf, or leaf 

 mould in the place of turf. This mixture should be prepared several 

 months beforehand, and be thoroughly pulverized and the parts 

 mixed together ; and unless the turf is quite rich, the addition of 

 about one-fourth of rotten manure would be advisable. About a 

 thirtieth part of wood ashes improves the mixture. Plenty of water 

 should be given until the plants become established in their new 

 home. When the roots reach the exterior of these pots they may be 

 either transferred to larger ones or to the open ground which com- 

 pletes the process for the first season. 



GREEN CUTTINGS. Propagating by cuttings of unripe wood is 

 practised, when it is desired to increase new sorts rapidly, in con- 

 nexion with common propagation by single eyes. As they do not 

 always mature well, or make strong vines the same season, they are 

 objected to by many propagators. Occasionally, however, good 

 strong vines may be obtained. They are made by taking strong 

 shoots in summer, and making them into cuttings with one eye at 

 the top, leaving on the leaf. These are inserted into sand (or the 

 same kind of soil used for single eyes), as far down as the bud, the 

 leaf resting on the surface. When small numbers are propagated, 

 pots are used and moisture retained in the leaves by placing them 

 under a glass frame in the propagating house, where the proper 

 degree of moisture is maintained without the excess which would 

 cause rotting. On a larger scale the cuttings are placed in the bor- 



