GARDEN CULTUKE. 157 



The roots of the vine will grow almost as readily 

 under a pavement as anywhere, provided the soil is not 

 too wet ; the surface of the soil being covered, it seldom 

 becomes dry, arid the pavement absorbs a great amount 

 of heat, which passes through it to the soil, furnishing 

 sufficient to keep up a healthy action of the roots. The 

 most important thing, in preparing a place for a vine, is 

 to secure proper drainage, because where there is much 

 shade the soil is usually very wet ; and to avoid injury 

 to the roots from excess of moisture, deep trenching or 

 drainage is indispensable. It may not always be neces- 

 sary to dig very deep at the exact point where the vine 

 is to be planted; in fact, this would more often be 

 injurious than otherwise. But let the deepest digging 

 be at some distance from it, so that the water, as it 

 descends, may be carried away from the vine, instead of 

 being drawn under it. 



One of the most common errors committed in tree, 

 as well as vine planting, is that of digging deep holes at 

 the point where the plant is to be set, and then filling 

 them up with loose soil, and in this place the roots. 

 These holes only serve to drain the surrounding soil, 

 receiving moisture instead of repelling it. This would 

 certainly be beneficial in very porous, dry soils, but in 

 wet ones it is injurious. If the ground can not all be 

 trenched, let the holes be made large, and at the point 

 where the vine is to be set, not more than eighteen 

 inches deep, and, at the outside, two feet deep ; this will 

 cause the water to settle away from the vine. When the 

 soil is very heavy, it is best to dig a trench and set the 

 vine at one end, letting the bottom of the trench descend 

 from the vine to the farthest point ; any old rubbish, 

 such as brick, stone, bone, etc., may be placed in the 

 bottom of the trench to secure a better drainage. When 

 a number of vines are to be planted, a long, wide, and 

 deep trench should be made and filled with good soil ; 



