86 THE GRAPE CULTUKIST. 



vines have not made a growth of from five to ten feet, then 

 we may rest assured that there is something radically 

 wrong, either in the soil or the vines, and they should be 

 dug up and either discarded altogether, or trimmed root 

 and top, planted again in another situation and treated the 

 same as one-year-old plants. But if the vines have made 

 a vigorous growth, then they are ready for the vineyard, 

 and in much better condition for the purpose than they 

 will be at a future time. Vines older than three years are 

 seldom so valuable for transplanting as those younger. 



When the vines have arrived at the proper size for vine- 

 yard planting, and so soon as the leaves have fallen in the 

 autumn, they should be carefully taken up by means of the 

 garden fork. Raise the roots as nearly entire as possible, 

 for if any are to be shortened or to be cut entirely away, 

 it is better to have all before the eye so that a selection 

 can be made, than to do it with the spade and wholly by 

 chance. When the vines are taken up they may be imme- 

 diately planted in the vineyard, provided all the circum- 

 stances connected therewith are favorable ; if not, they 

 should be put away in the ground, where they will remain 

 safely during the winter. This latter operation is called 



HEELING-IN. 



The usual method of heeling-in plants, or laying in by 

 the heel (roots) is as follows. Having selected a dry and 

 protected situation, a trench is made in the soil a foot or 

 more deep, and wide enough to receive the roots of the 

 plants, and of any required length, the soil being thrown 

 out upon one side. The plants are then set thickly together 

 in the trench, with the tops in a sloping direction, and 

 against the bank of soil thrown out of the trench ; another 

 trench is made parallel to the first, and the soil taken from 

 it is thrown into the first, covering the roots, and carefully 

 filling in all the interstices between them. Press down the 



