348 AMERICAN GRAPE CULTURE. 



After the ground is plowed and harrowed, 

 there is one object which must be kept steadily, 

 in view, and that is, to keep the soil mellow 

 and free from weeds. For weeding, we have 

 used nothing so good as the improved horse- 

 hoe, made of steel, and fitted with an adjusta- 

 ble w^heel and clevis. It can be expanded from 

 one to three feet wide, and has different sets of 

 teeth, one for cutting weeds and stirring the 

 soil, another for turning one or two light furrow 

 slices, and so On. With a single horse it may be 

 run from one to three inches deep. With this 

 implement the soil may be easily kept clean and 

 mellow. The reader, however, should try va- 

 rious implements as they come into use, and re- 

 tain those which are best adapted to the pur- 

 pose. Implements are not yet perfect. The 

 time to weed is just as soon and as often as the 

 weeds can be seen, or just as they are leaving 

 the seed leaf. The labor is then comparatively 

 light and easy, but it becomes very hard work 

 when the weeds get large enough to dispute the 

 ground with you. It is also desirable to stir 

 the ground as soon after heavy rains as it be- 

 comes dry enough to work. 



The slip along the vines not stirred by the 

 horse hoe must be weeded by hand. When the 



