CHAPTER VII. 



LAYERING THE VINE. 



The propagation of the vine by layers is one of the 

 most certain and convenient methods in use ; and while 

 the number of plants to be obtained from a given quan- 

 tity of wood is not so great as in the other methods, yet 

 the size of a one-year-old plant produced by layering will 

 far exceed that produced in any other way. 



A layer is a cutting which is left attached to the 

 parent plant, and derives nourishment therefrom until 

 it has produced new roots of its own. Much discussion 

 has taken place upon this subject among cultivators of 

 the grape, some asserting that in the first stages of the 

 growth of the layered plant it was entirely dependent 

 upon the parent for its food; consequently, the roots 

 that are produced later in the season from the layer 

 itself do not fully ripen, and are of but little value to 

 the young plant when separated from the parent. For 

 more than two thousand years layers have been recom- 

 mended and condemned by different authors, and all 

 have some plausibility in their arguments. But the 

 facts are, that, when properly grown, layers make as 

 vigorous and healthy plants as are produced in any other 

 manner. 



When vines are to be grown expressly for layers, 

 they should be planted six or eight feet apart, in very 

 rich soil, as the object will be to get a large growth of 

 wood without regard to fruit. 



The vines, when planted, should be cut down to the 

 ground, or within a few inches of it, and only one cane 



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