THE PROPAGATION OF VINES. S3 



Great care, however, should be taken in the selection 

 of cuttings, and the same must be said of " roots." This 

 cut will assist the reader in guarding against imposition. 

 It represents three different qualities of cuttings. 



We may lay down the following general rules : 



1st. The vine from which you select your cutting 

 should be healthy, and those not more than ten nor less 

 than three years old. 



2d. The wood of the cutting should be soundly ripe 

 of the early spring's growth of the previous year, and 

 not of the second growth, which appears in or after the 

 month of June. The part nearest to the old wood will 

 rarely fail to grow. Cut C represents such a cutting. 



8d. The more joints or buds within a given length 

 the better. They should be closer together near the 

 lower end than the upper. 



4th. The more compact the stemwood, the finer the 

 sap vessels, and the smaller the pith, the better. Coarse 

 reedy cuttings, such as Cut A, are worth but Httle. 



5th. Each cutting should be not less than twenty nor 

 more than twenty -four inches long. 



6th. Old wood of more than one year's growth is 

 ansuitable for cuttings. 



Cut with a sharp knife smoothly and nicely just 

 below the bud at the foot, being careful not to injure 

 the joint ; but above the upper bud, which is to form 

 the "head," leave about two inches of wood, so as to 



