10 



begin to push, except in very dry and warm soils. Here it is 

 better to plant in the fall, as soon as the leaves drop ; then new 

 roots shoot forth during warm days, and the vine makes a stronger 

 growth in the ensuing year. Strong growing varieties, like Con- 

 cord, Hartford Prolific and Diana, ought to be planted six feet 

 apart in the roAvs, and the rows .eight feet apart. The short- 

 jointed varieties, like Delaware, six feet by six. Let the rows 

 run north and south. The best plants, in my opinion, are well- 

 rooted vines, one year old, raised from single eyes and v/ell sup- 

 plied with fibrous roots. They are not so liable to be injured in 

 taking them up ; they will make nearly or quite as good a growth 

 the first season, and will come into bearing as soon as older vines. 

 In quantities, they cost much less. Mr. Bull prefers vines two 

 years old, grown from cuttings in the open air. Either will make 

 good wines. Dig a hole wide enough to allow the roots to spread 

 out to their full length, and six or eight inches deep ; then make 

 a conical heap of soil in the centre of the hole, sloping from four 

 inches from the level surface of the ground to the full depth of 

 the hole ; let the stem rest on the centre of this little mound, and 

 spread out the roots, in all directions, seeing that none of them 

 touch each other. Then fill in with mellow earth, shaking the 

 vine gently to settle the earth among the roots. Then fill up the 

 hole and press the earth down gently with the foot. It is a good 

 plan to water the vines well, after planting, if the soil is dry. 

 Keep the vineyard free from grass and weeds, and the soil open 

 and loose. Nothing should be allowed to grow in a vineyard ex- 

 cept vines. 



Pruning and Training. 



There are several modes of pruning ; but the principle at the 

 foundation of them all is, to cut off the excess of the last year's 

 wood, so that they will not overbear, and yet leave enough to se- 

 cure the healthy expansion of the vine. Grapes are always pro- 

 duced on the young shoots of the current year. When set to 

 poles, by the spur system. Take stout bean poles, (spruce or 

 cedar are best,) clean the lower ends, or paint them with coal tar, 

 and set them at least eighteen inches deep, one to each vine, leav- 

 ing six feet out of the ground. Young vines usually have three 

 buds or eyes ; when they have grown ten or twelve inches, tie up 

 the strongest shoot to the pole, with bass bark or straw, and pinch 

 out the others at two leaves. Train the young shoot up perfectly 

 strait ; tying it to the pole every week. Laterals will grow from 

 the axils of the leaves ; and when they have made three leaves, 

 pinch them off at two. In the first year thrifty vines will grow 

 from six to ten feet. If they run up weakly and slender, pinch 

 off the end of the main shoot, occasionally, to check the flow of 

 the sap and make the vine stouter. The object is to get ripe and 



