68 ON THE PROPAGATION OF VINES. 



of the terminal buds. Stick these temporary cuttings 

 about nine inches in the ground, in a warm and shel- 

 tered situation, where they will be effectually pro- 

 tected from the severity of the winter. The best 

 time to plant them out, is about the middle of March, 

 but any time from the first of that month to the tenth 

 of April will do very well. When this period arrives, 

 if the young vines about to be raised are afterwards 

 to be transplanted, choose such a situation for the 

 planting of the cuttings, as is well sheltered from the 

 wind, and not too much exposed to the sun. More 

 than six hours sunshine in any day will be injurious 

 rather than beneficial, and with respect to the wind, 

 if the cuttings be not protected from its injurious 

 effects, they will scarcely strike at aU, even in the 

 very best prepared soil. A moderate portion of sun- 

 shine, and effectual shelter from the wind, are abso- 

 lutely necessary to ensure the growth of the cuttings. 

 Previously to planting them, the soil must be well 

 prepared for their reception, by being digged to the 

 depth of eighteen inches, and the earth made very 

 fine. If it be in any degree stift' or heavy, take two- 

 thirds of it entirely away, and supply its place with 

 light rich mould, or road scrapings. For every cut- 

 ting, add half a spit of well rotted dung from an old 

 cucumber bed, and mix the whole well together, 

 making it as fine as possible. This being done, pre- 

 pare the cuttings in the following manner. Cut the 

 shoots into lengths containing two buds each, and let 

 the uppermost buds have an inch of the blank wood 

 remaining beyond them. The extremities of these 

 must be cut in a slanting manner, and the slant sides 

 be opposite to the buds. Take the other ends of the 

 cuttings that are to be inserted in the ground, and cut 

 them transversely 7z/5^ beloio the buds, m\& the cut- 

 tings will be complete. The pruning knife should 

 be very sharp, so that the cuts at the ends may be 

 perfectly smooth. The length of each cutting be- 

 twixt the two buds, should not be less than/b^^r, nor 

 more than six inches, in order that the bottom buds 



