. PLANTING THE VINEYARD. 51 



an opportunity of establishing themselves in 

 their new quarters, and are ready for early 

 spring work. We usually have more time in 

 the fall, are less hurried, and do the wbrk bet- 

 ter. The vines in the fall are in their best con- 

 dition for handling, and the buds receive less in- 

 jury from the rough usage they generally meet 

 with in being planted ; in short, all the ma- 

 nipulations incidental to planting can be better 

 done in the fall. In the spring the buds are 

 soft, and many of them are rubbed off, leaving 

 us dependent upon secondary buds and a small- 

 er growth. Every thing seems to be "in a 

 hurry," and most things get " a lick and a prom- 

 ise," the vines receiving their full share. A 

 succession of fears worry us from morning till 

 night ; we are strongly tempted to slight our 

 most important work, and only too often yield 

 to the temptation. 



Time to Buy. Whatever may be said about 

 the relative advantages of spring and fall 

 planting, there ought to be no doubt about the 

 great advantage of fall buying. The buds are 

 then firm, and the vines can be handled with- 

 out injury; the atmosphere is cool and moist, 

 and the roots suffer but little from exposure; 

 there is no danger of the buds swelling during 



