CULTIVATION. 145 



lower internodal buds, so that at least four, or at most eight, 

 eyes are left. 



(iii) The first cutting in a newly planted garden is per- 

 formed in the same manner, because the stocks of the young 

 plants are generally but imperfectly developed in the second 

 year of growth ; on which account the long cut, leaving four 

 to six eyes per shoot, is advisable. Nevertheless, exceptions 

 to this rule are not uncommon, the early planting of vigor- 

 ous selected sets in very fertile soil often resulting, with a 

 favourable season, in such strong rootstock . development by 

 autumn that the long cut can only be practised with great 

 circumspection, and must be discarded in favour of the 

 ordinary cut in the case of such stocks as are well provided 

 with buds on the last year's stem or on the body of the stock 

 itself. On the other hand, where the soil is poor, the plant- 

 ing late, and the weather unfavourable, it may happen that; 

 the root development of the sets during the first year is; 

 but poor, in which event simple topping must take the place: 

 of the long cut. 



(iv) Diseased rootstocks, already a prey to partial de- 

 composition and exhibiting putrid or decayed patches on the 

 surface, must be thoroughly overhauled to ascertain whether 

 they are still capable of producing plants that will crop well 

 enough to be remunerative. 



Wounds occasioned by the ravages of insects, by careless- 

 ness in tillage or during cutting, or by canker, may result in 

 a more or less extensive destruction of the rootstock sub- 

 stance. To obtain accurate information as to the extent of 

 this destruction it is necessary to carefully excise, with the 

 hop knife, all the dead matter of the stock, the residual 

 healthy material then enabling one to judge of the likelihood 

 of the stock being productive. Thus, if only about a fourth 

 or third part is dead the stock may be left, provided the 



remaining shoots are well developed and sound ; but if one 



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