92 FIRST FIVE years' MANAGEMENT. 



young one, it may be considered equal in its growth 

 to one raised from a layer or cutting in the preceding 

 summer ; and as ample directions have already been 

 given for the management of a vine during its first 

 summer's growth, its future culture will be here taken 

 up at the autumn of the first year, and after it has been 

 cut down to the two lowermost buds, as directed in 

 the chapter on the propagation of vines. 



First year. Dec. 1st. As long as the weather 

 remains open, the soil round the roots should not be 

 covered over, but as soon as frost comes, a good cover- 

 ing of litter, or of well-rotted stable manure, must be 

 laid over the ground as far as the roots extend ; and if 

 the weather be very severe, it will be better also to 

 cover over the stem, to the depth of five or six inches 

 above the top of it. The young plant being thus well 

 protected from the severity of the winter, may remain 

 in this state till the first of March. 



Second year. March 1st. Remove the covering 

 and fork up the surface of the ground, to the depth 

 of two or three inches, that the sun and air may 

 freely penetrate it. 



April 1st. Keep the soil round the roots free from 

 weeds, and the surface of it loose, either by raking or 

 forking it up as often as necessary. 



May 1st. Now remember, that only a single shoot 

 is permanently to be trained throughout the summer, 

 the object of leaving two buds in the previous 

 autumn, being to provide against the loss of a shoot 

 in case of any accident. As soon, therefore, as the 

 strongest has grown sufliciently to be out of danger 

 of being accidentally rubbed ofi*, the other is to be 

 cut out as hereafter directed. If any other roots have 

 pushed, besides the two principal ones, rub them all 

 off. As soon as the shoots have grown about a foot 

 in length, nail them to the wall. Do this very care- 

 fully, for they are as yet extremely tender. When 

 they have grown about six inches from the last nail- 

 ing, they must again be nailed, and continually kept 

 so, never suffering the tops of the shoot to be blown 



