CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 67 



against excessive moisture, maintain the required heat, and 

 the cuttings are as sure to root as verbenas, requiring 

 from two to four weeks' time. Coming from such a heat, 

 of course, they will be soft and tender. They should be 

 potted, and plunged in a cooler part of the propagating- 

 bed. Thus established, they will acquire substance, and 

 grow with vigor. They may then be treated in the 

 same way as heretofore described for hard-wood cut- 

 tings. 



This mode is so liable to abuse, and is so unnecessary 

 and disadvantageous, except where the amount of ripe 

 wood of new varieties is limited, that its adoption is 

 undesirable, except under the conditions named. As an 

 instance of the rapidity with which vines may be propa- 

 gated in this way, I mention the fact, that, when the Re- 

 becca Grape was first introduced, I received twelve small 

 vines in the spring of 1857; and in twelve months from 

 that time I had over three thousand plants which would 

 average a larger size than the original vines. I should 

 add, that one of the original vines never started ; so that 

 the stock was only eleven to commence with. 



