114 Vineyard Culture. 



of four to six inches ought to be left, so that the shoots, 

 not being planted too deep, may take root more easily. 

 The balance of the earth remains on the sides of the 

 trench. It is only in the following year, when the 

 ground is tilled, that it is leveled. If this first layering 

 does not yield the required number of plants, a second 

 one is made. 



This mode of operating reduces the number of roots 

 to be planted, by one-half to two-thirds, but we do not 

 think the saving arising from it compensates for the 

 inconveniences, for, undoubtedly, by this process, a 

 larger quantity of wood is buried, and the numerous 

 roots which shoot from this wood, being very close to- 

 gether, are much more liable to injure one another. 

 By thus multiplying these underground stems, the 

 chances of injuring them by the plow are also increased. 

 Besides, the first saving soon disappears under the 

 necessity of propagation — ^which is always an expensive 

 operation. Lastly, if, on the one hand, there is a sav- 

 ing of plants, on the other there is a greater loss by 

 postponing the maximum yield of the vines for two 

 or three years. Therefore, our advice is, at once to 

 plant as many cuttings or roots as are required for the 

 whole vineyards 



Operations Supplemental *ro Planting. — Im- 

 mediately after planting the cuttings or roots, the ex- 

 tremity of the plant protruding from the earth, as at A, 

 Figure 21, is cut with the pruning-knife, so as to leave 

 but one or two eyes above ground. 



In some countries, the cuttings, as soon as planted, 

 are carefully covered up with the earth, and thus left 

 until the beginning of July. While the wood is get- 



