15 



during the first few years after planting, they, as a rule, largely 

 recover from it if they are kept well drained, and the advan- 

 tages obtained from sanding and resanding are so great that 

 they much overbalance this single disadvantage. 



Vine Setting. 

 After the sanding has been done the bog is in readiness for 

 the setting of the vines. It should be marked for planting in 

 hills by drawing a hand-marker across it, first lengthwise and 

 then crosswise, the marker being provided with five or more 

 teeth. The vines should be planted in hills from 10 to 18 inches 

 apart. About 12 inches seems to be the distance at present 

 commended by general experience. The closer the vines are 

 planted the sooner they will, other things being equal, come 

 into bearing. The vines should not be bunched in the hill 

 when planted. One or two vines are just as successful in pro- 

 ducing a desirable growth as are half a dozen. If a lot of vines 

 are planted in a bunch, most of those in the center, as a rule, 

 die anyway, the result being a waste of planting material. A 

 better method from the standpoint of vine growth, though not 

 from the standpoint of labor involved, would be to plant several 

 vines in each hill, but have the hill scattered, that is, have the 

 vines separated from one another slightly in the hill. It is not 

 necessary to set the vines right side up, for they will grow 

 either way. The vines, after planting, need not stick up more 

 than half an inch above the sand. A wooden or iron dibble 

 may be used to press them in. They should be inserted well 

 into the sand, but need not reach into the peat beneath, for 

 most of the roots that they put out will be formed in the sand 

 in any case. 



Care of the New Bog after Planting. 

 Immediately after planting, the water should be turned on 

 and held close to the surface for a day or two. This will wet 

 up the vines and settle the sand around them. Then the water 

 should be drawn out to the bottoms of the ditches. Except in 

 case of very prolonged drought, a bog need not be reflowed 

 again during the first season, and if it is reflowed it should be 

 for only a few hours, or only enough to just wet up the surface. 



