30 THE GRAPE. 



a disposition -.^ try all ways, but in three successive years 

 I failed of getting as early a growth, nor did my vines 

 make up for lost time in the hot months of summer, as has 

 been sometimes stated they would. 



The next manner of planting, highly recommended by 

 good cultivators, I have followed with good results. It is 

 to prepare the ground where this plant is to stand by 

 finely pulverizing it, then excavate a breadth or circle 

 sufficiently wide to admit of straightening out the entire 

 roots of the vine without cutting away a single inch ; 

 make the excavation about six inches deep at the outside 

 of the circle, and rising so that the center is four inches 

 below the level of the surrounding ground. The accom- 

 panying figure shows this method, the straight line being 



the surface of the earth, the dotted line below that of the 

 mound on which the plant is placed before filling in the 

 earth. This depth for planting I believe a good one, but 

 I fail to find any gain from leaving so much root ; and as 

 it increases the labor and expense of planting fully one- 

 half, I think I shall follow out my old plan, viz : with my 

 knife I cut away every small fiber or thread-like root, and 

 all that are as large around as one of FABER'S lead 

 pencils, I shorten back to sixteen or eighteen inches, then 



