LAYERING 171 



with a vigorous shoot of sufficient length and con- 

 veniently situated. Then we dig down where the old 

 vine stands and pull up all of the lifeless stalk as 

 well as the roots, since these are seats of decay that 

 might infect the whole neighborhood. Finally, in 

 the soil thus stirred we dig a ditch two or three deci- 

 meters deep, and in this we lay the shoot we have 

 selected, taking care in bending it down not to break 

 or splinter it. The part thus put into the ground is 

 then covered with a tolerably thick layer of earth, 

 and on this, to complete the filling of the ditch, is 

 thrown a basketful of manure. The tip of the shoot 

 is raised upright, tied to a stake, and trimmed in 

 such a manner as to retain only two eyes or buds 

 above ground. As to the eyes on the part extending 

 from the mother stem to the point where the shoot 

 plunges into the ground, they are nipped off because 

 they would needlessly appropriate a part of the sap. 

 This operation is called vine-layering, and the shoot 

 bent down and placed in the ground we speak of as a 

 vine-layer. The best time for this work is the be- 

 ginning of winter, because the long rest enjoyed by 

 the shoot in the ground throughout the season when 

 vegetation slumbers disposes it to sprout with more 

 vigor upon the renewal of sap-circulation in the 

 spring. 



"Let us now watch the behavior of the partly 

 buried vine-shoot. If it had remained all in the open 

 air, it would have borne fruit ; it would have had its 

 three or four bunches of grapes. Why should it not 

 do so under the conditions imposed by the vine- 



