18 THE GRAPE CULTURIST. 



plants and bed will usually prevent its farther progress. 

 Grape seedlings when well started, usually grow quite 

 rapidly, often making two. to four feet of wood the first 

 season. 



Those who have green-houses or hot-beds may sow the 

 seeds in boxes or seed-pans, and place them in these 

 structures, so that they may receive artificial heat ; but 

 for growing hardy varieties the open ground is preferable, 

 as it is more natural ; and the sickly seedlings, of which 

 there are always more or less, will be more likely to show 

 their feebleness in the open ground, and can be selected 

 from the vigorous and thrown away, avoiding further 

 trouble. When the plants have made one season's growth, 

 and the frost has killed their leaves, they should be taken 

 up, a portion of the stem cut off, and the long perpendicu- 

 lar root shortened at least one half its length ; then heel 

 them in, in some dry warm place in the open ground. All 

 small sickly-looking plants should be thrown away, for 

 they will seldom make good vines if they fail to make a 

 good growth the first season.^ At the approach of very 

 cold weather, cover the entire tops with soil or coarse lit- 

 ter, deep enough to insure them against being severely 

 frozen, not that freezing would be sure to kill them, but it 

 would tend to impair their vitality. In the spring take 

 out the plants and cut the stems off to within four inches 

 of their roots, then plant them out in rows four feet apart, 

 and three or four feet apart in the rows. The ground for 

 their reception should be made rich and deep, using any 

 old well-decomposed manure that may be at hand, or old 

 sods, or muck ; if the latter is used, a peck of ashes to the 

 square rod, or half that quantity of lime, may be added 

 with good effect. The whole soil should be worked over 

 at least eighteen inches deep, either with the plow or 

 spade. 



The roots of the vines should be carefully spread out, so 

 that no two will come in contact ; then sprinkle the soil 



