CHAPTER VIII. 



THE GRAPE. 



' /" ' ,, r* ' * " * 



PROPAGATION. 



THE vine is propagated from seed, layers, cut- 

 tings, and by grafting. 



Seed are used for obtaining new varieties, by 

 cross fertilization, as already described in this work. 



Layers are the easiest and best way of propaga- 

 ting existing varieties. The middle of the new 

 shoots are buried early in summer, in a few inches 

 of soil, into which roots will be sent by autumn, 

 when they are to be removed from the parent plant. 

 They may be laid in the soil together, till spring ; 

 or set out at once. One layer will usually make 

 two plants, by cutting in two in the middle. 



Cuttings, for open air culture, are inferior to lay- 

 ers in vigor of growth and certainty of success. 

 They are, however, sometimes useful and necessa- 

 ry. They should be taken from the vine in win- 

 ter, from the most vigorous last summer's shoots. 

 They should be a foot or more long ; a portion of 

 the old wood is useful, and they are to be buried 

 in a sloping position, in a deep, rich, light, and 

 rather moist soil, with one bud above ground. Sue- 



