152 Propagation of Gi'-apc-Viiics from Green Wood. 



PROPAGATION OF GRAPE-VINES FROM GREEN WOOD. 



In former times it was customary to increase the number of our grape- 

 vines by the use of cuttings, and by layers of canes of the last year's growth. 

 The cuttings were made long : they were set out in the spring, and cultivated 

 one or two years before they were taken up for sale or for transplanting. 

 Many vineyards were made by setting these cuttings at once in the stations 

 of the future vines. All this was very well for those who had plenty of 

 wood, and who were willing to wait until the fourth year for a crop of 

 grapes ; and the plan answered for the increase of varieties that grew readi- 

 ly from cuttings in the open ground, especially where these could be pro- 

 cured in abundance at from one to three dollars a thousand. 



It was soon discovered that some varieties would not strike root readily 

 under these circumstances : they were found hard to propagate from cut- 

 tings ; and such were multiplied by layering the canes in the soil adjacent 

 to the mother-plants. This, however, is not a very rapid nor cheap 

 mode of propagation, and the number of layered plants must necessarily 

 be limited. 



Layers were also made during the summer by bending down the young 

 shoots, and burying them in the ground so as to have them rooted before 

 fall. 



Many propagators commenced economizing their wood, and increasing 

 the number of vines, by reducing the length of their cuttings to one- 

 half, so as to have but two or three buds upon each piece : and in good 

 soils their success was remarkable, not only in the greater proportion of 

 living plants, but also in the production of better roots, and more salable 

 plants at an earlier period ; that is, at one year old. 



All these methods were not sufficient to supply the extraordinary demand 

 for grape-vines, especially of the newer kinds that were rapidly introduced; 

 and other means of propagation had to be resorted to, which required 

 greater outlay of capital in glass houses, with artificial heat, flue-pipes, hot- 

 water tubes, sand-beds, potting, watering, shading, training, and generally, 

 also, transplanting into the open ground, watering, mulching, shading, and 

 cultivation. If not so transplanted, the vines had to be shift'jd into larger 



