226 



POPULAR FRUIT GROWING. 



be cut from the main cane, and if strong enough may be divided 

 into two plants. By a little different treatment of the spring lay- 

 er, a vine may be grown from each bud on the layered cane. For 

 this purpose some thrifty cane should be selected in autumn, 

 pruned of its laterals and buried. In the spring it should be 

 uncovered and only one shoot permitted to grow from each 

 joint. After the new growth has started about six inches from 

 each bud, the whole cane should be layered about four inches 



deep, handling it carefully so 

 as not to break the new 

 growth. B'ig. 106 shows such 

 a layer after it has rooted. It 

 is a good plan to cover it not 

 more than three inches at 

 first and to fill up the trench 

 as soon as the shoots grow. It 

 covered four inches deep at 

 once, the young growth will 

 sometimes rot, though this seldom happens, and some skillful 

 growers fill the trench full at once. In the autumn roots will be 

 found growing from each joint and these may be cut apart and 

 treated as recommended for weak vines grown from cuttings. 

 If this method of propagation is to be used to some consider- 

 able extent, vines should be grown especially for the purpose. 

 It is not a good plan to use fruiting vines for layering to any 

 great extent, though it may be safely done in a small way. 

 For directions as to grafting the grape see chapter on Propaga- 

 tion. 



Fig. 105. Ordinary layer of grape 

 cut apart and made into two 

 plants. 



Fig. 106. Layering grapes. Showing how to get a plant from each 

 bud of the cane layered. 



