196 FRUIT-GROWING 



barrel of wine. (Some grape-vine!) Grafting 

 is not resorted to in commercial nurseries ex- 

 cept for the growing of European sorts, which 

 as I have stated, can not be grown in this 

 country on their own roots. 



The soil for grapes should be prepared by 

 plowing or digging it very deeply. Ordinary 

 plowing is hardly sufficient — especially as we 

 habitually think of the term in this country. 

 Our ordinary farm plows do not break the soil 

 to a sufficient depth for grapes which are 

 naturally deep-rooted plants. In the vine- 

 yard sections of the Old World the vineyard 

 locations are prepared by hand and the soil is 

 dug up much more deeply than we ever think 

 necessary — perhaps this is one of their secrets 

 of success. The surface should be harrowed 

 and smoothed much as we would prepare it for 

 any other crop, and the vine locations measured 

 off and staked for each individual vine. The 

 holes should not be dug until the plants are 

 actually on hand and ready for setting as it is 

 important that the roots have fresh turned 

 earth in contact with them if they are to start 

 into growth promptly and satisfactorily. 



In the East vines are planted at various dis- 

 tances. Our own vineyard, planted in squares 

 eight by eight feet, is too close. It is difficult 

 to drive through and the vines overlap one 

 another. Nine by nine feet is a commonly used 



