162 



THE NURSERY. 



Propagation from Eyes. — The propagation of the 

 hardy grape from eyes, in the open ground, or without 

 bottom lieat, is not generally practised, yet, with most 

 kinds, it may be done with tolerable success. As in the 

 case of the long cuttings, the rooting process should be 

 commenced before the eyes are planted out. This is done 

 by mixing with sand or earth or moss in shallow boxes, 

 and placing them in a greenhouse, or in a irame with a 

 glazed sash over them, for three or four weeks before the 

 time of planting out. They should not be planted until 

 the ground is warm, and the weather favorable to im- 

 mediate growth. The soil sliould be dry, warm, and light, 

 covering about two inches deep. 



In favorable seasons, tolerably good plants are produced 

 in this way, especially of the free-growing sorts. 



The more common way of propagating from eyes is to 

 start them on a bottom heat, either in propagating houses 

 or in hot-beds. In houses, the bottom heat is furnished 

 either by hot water, circulating in tanks, by hot- water 

 pipes, or by warm-air flues of brick or tile, under the 

 bench, in which the eyes are i»lanted. Any and all of 

 these modes of supplying bottom lieat answer very well. 



When the eyes are well rooted, they are transplanted 

 into good, rich soil, either in another house, or in frame 

 covered with glass, or into open borders. Larger and bet- 

 ter ripened plants will be produced under glass, but at a 

 much greater cost. The present system, however, of 

 crowding them so close together in glass-houses, and forc- 

 ing their growth, produces very weak, poor plants, which, 

 but for the present demand for new sorts, would be re- 

 garded as worthless. 



Propagating from Eyes of Green Wood. — This 

 method has, of late, been resorted to for the purpose of 

 increasing the new higli-priced varieties. When a grape 

 is selling at $2 to $3 per plant, the inducement to multi- 

 ply it is very great. Some people think that good plants 



