70 CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 



inclinable to be loose and dry, especially if rain does not 

 soon follow their planting : and it is incredible how many 

 vines three persons can in this manner plant in one day ; 

 viz., upwards of two thousand." 



The two foregoing modes are brought into juxtaposition 

 in order to show how little and how much progress has 

 been made. The mallet-cutting was used by the Romans, 

 and is still largely used. The rationale of Miller's 

 method is simply this : That a large cane being inserted so 

 deeply in the ground is almost certain not to suffer from 

 drought, and it has substance enough to sustain it until 

 roots are formed. It is obvious that such a trunk of old 

 wood is very objectionable. 



The most common form for open-air 

 cuttings is seen in fig. 13, using the 

 wood grown the previous season. Most 

 vineyardists use from three to five eyes, 

 the cutting being a foot or more in 

 length. It is thought that this length is 

 some guard against injury from drought ; 

 but I think it far better to use a 

 Fig. 13. shorter cutting, and guard against in- 



juries by other methods. With the long cutting, the 

 roots are formed at each eye, and are so scattered as to 



