180 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



But there are other kinds of plants, of one year old, that will yield fruit 

 sooner, and some of them immediately — that is, the season of planting. 



The vine which I now exhibit is called a Layer, and is a good representa- 

 tive of the best quality of that kind of plant. This, you will observe, has 

 two strong canes of bearing wood, each at least eight feet long. If these 

 had not been disturbed, but suffered to remain in the ground where they 

 grew, they might have been pruned to two feet each, and suiFered to bear 

 from six to twelve pounds of grapes the next season. In consequence of 

 being taken from the soil, for removal to another place, their ability to 

 bear will be greatly lessened, so that even four pounds would be a pretty 

 large amount for such a vine to bear the iirst season after transplanting. 



It is only the best of layers, that are skillfully produced from strong 

 healthy mother-vines, prepared for the purpose, that will do this. Ordinary 

 layers will not. Such plants are necessarilj^ expensive. Inferior la3^ers 

 are the, poorest of plants, and should be avoided. I will not now attempt 

 to describe the manner of producing good layers, but leave the subject for 

 the present, simply saying that very few of them are produced. This one, 

 with abundance of secondary or fibrous root, evenly distributed, is a model 

 plant of its kind. That with long primary roots and straggling, detached 

 secondary roots, is to be avoided. 



I have here something that is new to nearly every one of you. Very 

 few of these have been produced in this country, and none for sale until 

 last season. In speaking of the last I mentioned that its ability to bear 

 was greatly lessened by its being moved from the ground. To avoid that 

 check this one has been grown in a lattice box or crate, so that a sufficiency 

 of soil may be moved with it without being disturbed. This, you will see, 

 by the size of the canes, and by the number, appearance and equal distri-r 

 bution of its secondary roots, protruding on all sides from the box, is a 

 layer of best quality. It is called a " box layer," or a " covered layer," in 

 distinction from one taken from the soil like that previously shown, which 

 is called a " nude " layer. Vines like this receive but little check by trans- 

 planting and transportation, and yield fruit the first season. Such vines 

 will cover a trellis with their beautiful shade the first season, and give at 

 once the air of complete establishment, instead of raw newness, which de- 

 tracts largely from the enjoyment of new places. 



This vine is a present to me, and I need not say that I prize it highly. 

 It is the lona. 



In answer to the question, as to whether vines from single eyes are better 

 than those from cuttings, the lecturer stated that they were, and that the 

 superiority was easily demonstrable to the understanding of cultivators, 

 but would occupy too much time for the present. A vineyard from the best 

 single eyes would give better results at four years from planting than one 

 from cuttings at six or seven. 



The propagation of hardy vines from single eyes for the open ground is 

 an Americanism, and the feasibility and great advantage of it, in a large 

 way, were first demonstrated at lona Island. 



In answer to the question. Are not hardy vines made tender by being 

 propagated under glass? the lecturer said, by no means; but, on the con- 



