New Method to start Grujic Vines. 



77 



oases when th€ insertion of hut one 

 graft into the same stock or side root 

 is intended. If the stock be more 

 than a half inch in diameter, I prefer 

 to insert two scions ; the thicker I in- 

 sert first, keeping the split open hy 

 the aid of a strong knife, held in the 

 left hand, the thinner last, by pushing 

 it down in the other end of tho slit. 

 Generally I succeed in rearing both 

 grafts, which improves the stalk and 

 serves to heal the wound most thor- 

 oughly. Sometimes the stock is al- 

 ready so thick, or twisted and knotty, 

 that it is necessary to wholly remove 

 it and use one or several of the smooth 

 lateral roots for the purpose of graft- 

 incr. 



It can not be too urgently recom- 

 mended to all vintagers to make them- 

 selves thoroughly faiiiiliar with the 

 practice oigrajting, it being the easiest, 

 fastest^ and least expensive method of 

 testing and diffusing the numerous 

 new grapevine varieties that annually 

 make their appearance, .\bout 16 

 years ago 1 received from a friend in 

 Pennsylvania a Concord graft, prob- 

 ably the first that ever crossed the 

 Alleghany mountains. Now tho de- 

 scendants of this one scion can hardly 

 be counted by the millions. 



F. MUENCH. 



{Journal of A(jricuUvTe.) 



NEW METHOD TO STAET GKAPE VINES. 



As I promised our worthy President 

 of the Grape Growers' Association of 

 our State, I herewith transmit you my 

 experience in the propagation of grape 

 vines : 



There arc three distinct modes of 

 multiplying grape vines practiced in 

 this country. Tho first and natural 

 one is, from seed; which, however, is 

 very uncertain as to the result. It 

 takes thousands, perhaps^ of seedling 

 vines to produce even a few that will 

 be as good as what we already have. 

 Although, it is the only way to get 

 different, and sometimes improved, 

 varieties, by far the greater part are 

 worthless ; but, if we produce one out 

 of a thousand that is in quality nearer 

 to what we want, it will well repay 

 the trouble to try it. 



The other way is by layers, which, 



when correctly perform.ed, will gener- 

 ally make tolerably good plants; they 

 will make strong vines, wuth well- 

 developed buds and large roots — to 

 all appearance first-rate plants — but 

 there are several objections to them. 

 The vines are layered in spring, and 

 the shoots make an early start, con- 

 sequently the vines make a strong- 

 growth, but the roots grow later in 

 the season — in June or even July — 

 and then they are not ripened enough 

 in the fall to stand transplanting well : 

 the small fibres are soft and full of 

 sap, and will dry in a few minutes so 

 much, that they will never regain their 

 vi'ality, if ever so well planted; some 

 kinds will, however, do better than 

 others. Another objection is, that 

 a part of the old vine is attached to it, 

 which Avill decay from both ends 



