ORCHARDS AND VINEYARDS. 



63 



garden, cast and south of a heavy wall ; the land by 

 them was underdrained from three to four and one-half 

 feet deep, and the plants set in nearly the same way, 

 except that for a part of them, the soil having been 

 made deep and rich previously, they were set without 

 any additional preparation. I prune in the fall, 

 cutting back nearly to the ground the first two years, 

 and then training them to the trellis, which is of wire, 

 until they fill it. I always lay the vines upon the 

 ground for winter, covering the more tender ones 

 slightly with earth, and have never had one, that was 

 so protected, injured, after it had become established in 

 the soil. I do not like to have other plants grow near 

 the grapes, within at least six feet, and endeavor to keep 

 the soil free from weeds, and mellow on the surface? 

 stiring it frequently through the entire season. After 

 the grapes have set, I thin them and pinch in the ends 

 of the vines frequently for several weeks. 



In 1860 fifteen of the vines bore freely, the fruit 

 being of good size and form, both bunch and berry, 

 but on account of an early frost, did not ripen per- 

 fectly, with the exception of the Seedling, which were 

 very early, and were gathered before the frost, which 

 occurred about the first of October. The present 

 season the crop has been abundant on all of these 

 vines, and nearly all the others set previous to this 

 year commenced bearing fruit, and the fruit has 

 ripened perfectly, without protection, even on the 

 Catawba vines. 



I obtain new plants mostly by layering. When 

 pruning in the fall, I save such vines near the ground 

 as are suitable for the purpose, and after they have 



