LAYERING THE VltfE. 59 



be allowed to grow the first season, and this must be 

 kept tied to a stake. In the fall or winter this should 

 be cut back to within three or four buds of the last sea- 

 son's growth ; this number of buds is left to guard 

 against accident, but only two are to be allowed to grow. 



The next spring the two buds that push the strong- 

 est are to be allowed to grow, and should be kept tied to 

 the stake as before. If the vine this, the second season, 

 grows strong, and makes a growth of from six to ten 

 feet, it will do to commence layering it the next spring, 

 at which time it will be in its third season after plant- 

 ing. But if it should not produce a strong growth, 

 then one cane should be cut entirely away, and the 

 other to three or four buds, allowing but two to grow, as 

 before, and defer the layering until the fourth year. 

 For there is nothing gained by taking layers from a vine 

 until it is strong enough to make good plants. But so 

 soon as the vine has made two strong canes of from six 

 to ten feet long, whether it be the second or third year, 

 it may be layered. Of course, vines may be layered 

 earlier, or as soon as they have made canes one or two 

 feet long, but the plants produced will be small and fee- 

 ble, and not what would be considered first-class plants. 



How to Layer the Vine. If the wood that is to 

 be cut off is wanted for cuttings, then the vine may be 

 pruned in the fall ; if not, defer the pruning until the 

 last of February or the first of March. Select the largest 

 cane for the layer ; if it be ten feet long it should be cut 

 back to six or seven feet, but if not so long then cut it 

 back still more ; then cut the other cane down to within 

 three or four buds of its base. After the buds begin to 

 swell in the spring (or even if they have grown an inch 

 or two it is no matter), layer the cane in the following 

 manner : Dig a trench from four to six inches deep, six 

 inches wide, and of a sufficient length to receive the 

 cane ; now bend it down and fasten it in the trench by 



