22 THE GRAPE CULTURIST. 



they will then grow more readily and make more healthy 

 plants than if started in the early part of winter. At 

 this time take out the cuttings and cut them up into 

 pieces, as represented in Fig. 5 ; put these into water as 

 they are cut ; this will prevent their becoming dry while 

 they are being prepared ; and if they are allowed to re- 

 main in the water for twenty-four to forty-eight hours, 

 it will do them no harm, but often be of benefit, espe- 

 cially to the hard- wooded varieties, as it softens the 

 alburnous matter from which the roots grow, and loos- 

 ens the outer bark, and thereby allows the roots to push 



through it more readily, 

 there being always more roots 

 produced from other parts 

 of the cutting than from 

 FIG. 5. that part where the cambium 



has been exposed by the knife. It is also a benefit to 

 some varieties that produce roots very tardily, to scrape 

 off a portion of the outer bark and the remains of the 

 old leaf-stalk which immediately surround the base of 

 the bud, so as to partially expose the inner bark. 



When a quantity of the buds are prepared they 

 should be put into moderate-sized pots (six or eight inch 

 is a convenient size) filled to within about an inch of 

 the top with pure and moderately coarse sand, firmly 

 packed. Place the cuttings, with the buds up, about an 

 inch apart all over the surface, press them down firmly 

 with the thumb and finger; sift on sufficient sand to 

 cover the upper point of the bud about a quarter of an 

 inch deep, then press it all down evenly, using the bot- 

 tom of another pot for the purpose, after which apply 

 water enough to just moisten the whole contents of 

 the pot. 



Sand taken from the banks of fresh-water ponds or 

 running streams is the best for propagating purposes, as 

 ; t is nearly free from impurities. That taken from com= 



