Propagation of the Vine, 83 



a shoot that is long enough to reach to the next regular sta- 

 tion, and we place it rather deeper than he advises. These 

 layers constitute the renewal of the vineyard by provinage. — 

 The plants, thus produced, will succeed much better than . 

 strangers introduced into the soil that is already fully occu- 

 pied by the roots of the old vines, among which the new 

 comer will stand a poor chance for its life. A good strong 

 layer, made from a fruitful branch, will often produce a mod- 

 erate crop the first year, and make strong canes for the next 

 year's fruitage, besides establishing itself firmly on its own 

 roots, so as to bear a separation from the mother plant, which 

 should not be neglected. 



An enthusiastic grape-grower in Illinois,* having observed 

 that young vineyards often escaped the rot, to which older 

 vines were very subject, proposed a plan of renewing the 

 vineyard by layering one-fourth part of it every year, and re- 

 moving the oldest vines at the same time. The theory was 

 very plausible, but unfortunately we have observed this mal- 

 ady too often upon our newly layered plants, to have any 

 confidence in the proposed remedy. 



As already observed, when speaking of propagation by cut- 

 tings, there are some varieties in cultivation that do not emit 

 roots readily, and therefore are not easily increased by that 

 method. These kinds are generalty multiplied by layering, 

 and we have adopted a method which proves very successful. 

 The long canes of the previous year's growth are trimmed of 

 their laterals, and the tendrils are removed; they are left as 

 long as the wood is well developed — sometimes ten or fifteen 

 feet. At the same time other canes are trimmed in the usual 

 way for the fruiting on stake or trellis. After the ground is 

 well prepared and put into fine tilth, in the spring, a shallow 

 trench, about three inches deep, is opened with the spade, and 

 into this the cane to be layered is introduced, and fastened 



*Dr. Shroeder, of Bloomington, Illinois. 



