144 ON THE INTRODUCTION OF NEW FRUITS. 



are in fact destitute of it, and because having something of tFie 

 acid in them. They have been ranked with those in the fable 

 which the fox is said to have rejected and defamed, because he 

 found himself nnabie to reach the branches loaded with this deli- 

 cious fruit. In the Middle and Southern states, many^ some say 

 most of the native grapes have a rancid, and if you please so 

 to call it, a foxy taste and smell, and receive the name from 

 this circumstance. But it is not so certainly in many parts of this 

 commonwealth. Here the term is mostly applied to an acid 

 fruit, which some call the frost or winter grape. If then, 

 any dislike the foxy flavor, they are under no constraint to 

 cultivate them, there are many other varieties, and of good 

 qualities, which have nothing of this peculiarity about them. 



PRODUCTION OF VINES. 



Vines may be produced by planting seed, putting downs 

 layers, setting out portions or cuttings of vines containing two 

 or more joints, by dividing the roots, by engrafting and inocu- 

 lation. 



By the first process new varieties may be obtained, and per- 

 haps some of a better quality, and a seedling vine if the fruit be- 

 good, is more valuable than one obtained in any other way, 

 but some years must intervene before fruit in any great quanti- 

 ties and in a fully matured state can be secured in this way. 

 Besides, experience has shown that a very large portion of 

 vines obtained in this way prove to be male^ so that not 

 unfrequently after years of labor and waiting those who resort to 

 this course find that they have labored in vain. 



Vines raised as layers are apt to be feeble for several years, 

 and seldom become as vigorous and productive as those raised 

 by cuttings. In preparing cuttings which should be taken 

 from branches of the year's before growth,, the wood of the upper 

 and lower end should be cut away very near to the bud or 

 joint, and great caution used not to split the wood or bruise 

 the bud. Some use cuttings of a single joint, cutting away 

 the wood to within an inch on each side of the bud, and 

 others even spirt the bud and place the parts- a few inches deep 

 in the earth. In this last method a vine, if obtained^ will be 



