Propagating Vines. 



29S 



varieties will produce plants that can- 

 not be obtained from cuttings. Is not 

 this strong evidence that it is the mode 

 to produce the best plants of any 

 species or variety ? 



If by layering a vine we can ob- 

 tain a root that cannot be grown b}^ 

 cuttings, because it requires the aid 

 of the parent vine to nurse and sup- 

 port it, is it not reasonable to suppose 

 that those varieties that " take root " 

 easily from cuttings would be far su- 

 perior if assisted by the mother vine 

 in its growth the first year ? I admit 

 it takes some vigor from the parent 

 vine, and roots ought to be propaga- 

 ted from it only every alternate year. 

 I admit that poor layers are produced, 

 but there is one mode of propagating 

 laj'ered roots that cannot be surpassed 

 by any other method that is known 

 to me, and I think I have tested every 

 mode. 



In producing roots by cuttings, you 

 throw down a summer's bunch of 

 " bread and meat," and the child must 

 help itself. Is this the natural way 

 of rearing children from their birth 

 until their adult pei'iod ? If so, it is 

 unknown to me. I have seen mothers 

 mature their children by giving the 

 milk provided for them by nature, the 

 same as I would give the layered root 

 the milk (sap) of its parent vine, pro- 

 vided for it by one of the most beau- 

 tiful laws in nature, for the produc- 

 tion of fruit or enlargement of the 

 vine, either or all of which is in ac- 

 cordance with natural laws. But 

 some say that it costs too much to 

 produce plants in this wa}", where it 

 can be done with the wood taken at 

 the pruning, that otherwise Avould go 

 on the brush heap. My experience 



accords with what a " chap " '' away 

 down" in Maine, says in speaking of 

 plants, that '' the best are the cheap- 

 est in the end.". If you ever read 

 that excellent book, " Grapes and 

 Wine," you have seen this before. 



I have planted the best roots that 

 could be obtained from those who are 

 reputed to be the best of propagators^ 

 and I never yet saw a " cutting root " 

 to compare with the best layers, al- 

 though there are some very good cut- 

 ting roots sometimes produced. It is 

 a deplorable fact that our country 

 is flooded with the most inferior plants 

 that mortal eyes have ever looked 

 upon, and are readily purchased by 

 those who are inexperienced, merely 

 because the}' are cheap. 



I hold that the fruit of a vine, the 

 roots and cane of which are perfectly 

 developed, is less liable to rot and 

 mildew than the unripe wood of the 

 cheap plants hawked around by ped- 

 dlers. 



I started out to speak of propaga- 

 ting plants, but if I would commence, 

 my paper would be too long. In my 

 next I will give j^ou the mode that my 

 experience has taught mo b}' whick 

 the best possible plants are propaga- 

 ted. Trul}', &c., 



A. M. iiURNS. 



[If the object of the above com- 

 munication was only to tell our read- 

 ers that a good layer is better than a 

 poor plant raised from cuttings, we 

 fully concur in that view, but do not 

 think it is "■ anything new or strik- 

 ing." Otherwise we cannot see that 

 our correspondent has made a point 

 or proved it. Long experience has 

 taught us, that a good plant grown 

 from a cutting, will generally grow 



