208 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



goes, is the best, cheapest aud most expeditious way to protect 

 vines that are rather tender. 



This inquiry is often made : which is tlic best way of trim- 

 ming grape vines for out-door culture ? and it is a hard 

 question to answer, each different way having something 

 peculiar to itself which is convenient or favorable to a good 

 development of the vine or fruit ; but as far as my experience 

 goes I prefer what is called spur pruning ; but in experiments 

 that I am now making, I very likely may see cause to adopt 

 some other mode. The almost universal fault in trimming is 

 extending the vine too fast, by that means losing the lower 

 spurs and fruit bearing branches, and finally ending in a long, 

 straggling, homely shaped vine, which will not produce so 

 much or as good fruit, neither is it so convenient to train upon 

 the trellis, or to trim afterwards, as it would have been if 

 properly trimmed in the first instance. 



How and when shall we plant the vines ? Plant in a deeply- 

 ploughed, well-drained, mellow soil, which has been enriched 

 with compost manure, made of peat and cow manure, tow hich 

 has been added ground bones, or spread the bones on the 

 soil before ploughing ; and it would be well to apply a dressing 

 of ashes and gypsum, and let the whole be well and thoroughly 

 mixed with the soil by ploughing ; and in planting, open your 

 holes or trench about eight or ten inches deep, and plant with 

 good two years old vines, that have been growing in the open 

 ground — they being much better than vines grown in pots that 

 have their roots all coiled and matted together — spread out the 

 roots evenly, and cover them with mellow, loose soil, which is 

 much better than manure on the roots ; when all has been, 

 levelled off, have the roots about six or eight inches under the 

 surface of the ground, which in our climate is undoubtedly 

 better than deeper planting ; the roots being near the surface 

 of the ground and more exposed to the heat from the sun, will 

 cause tlieni to ripen earlier tlian if planted deeper in the 

 ground. I suppose the most favorable time to plant is in the fall, 

 after the leaves have been killed by the frosts, and before very 

 freezing weather ; but eitlicr fall or spring will answer well 

 enougli, only let the work of i)lanting be well done. And if 

 you purchase your vines I wish to repeat what I liave partly 

 stated before — that is, buy good, strong, vigorous vines, two 



