LAYERING THE VINE. 59 



CHAPTER VII. 



LAYERING THE VINE. 



THE propagation of the vine by layers is one of the most 

 certain and convenient methods in use ; and while the 

 number of plants to be obtained from a given quantity of 

 wood is not so great as in the other methods, yet the size 

 of a one-year-old plant produced by layering will far ex- 

 ceed that produced in any other way. 



A layer is a cutting which is left attached to the parent 

 plant, and derives nourishment therefrom until it has pro- 

 duced separate roots of its own. Much discussion has 

 taken place upon this subject among cultivators of the 

 grape, some asserting that in the first stages of the 

 growth of the layered plant it was entirely dependent upon 

 the parent for its food ; consequently the roots that arc 

 produced later in the season from the layer itself do not 

 fully ripen, and are of but little value to the young plant 

 when separated from the parent. For more than two 

 thousand years layers have been recommended and con- 

 demned by different authors, and all have some plausibility 

 in their arguments. But the facts are that, when properly 

 grown, layers make as vigorous and healthy plants as are 

 produced in any manner. 



When vines are to be grown expressly for layers, they 

 should be planted six or eight feet apart, in very rich soil 

 as the object will be to get a large growth of wood with- 

 out regard to fruit. 



The vines when planted should be cut down to the 

 ground, or within a few inches of it, and only one cane be 

 allowed to grow the first season, and this must be kept 



