"vineyard stakes." 53 



an excellent preservative, and I have heard the refuse 

 oil purchased at gas-worlcs also favorably spoken of. 



The stakes should be well rammed in, and fastened 

 by punching the earth to them at the surface of the 

 ground. Every spring they should be carefully re- 

 fastened, after being straightened up, and examined to 

 see whether the part in the ground is sound yet. 

 Those of which it may be feared that they will not last 

 through the season, had better be taken out and reset 

 by putting the sound end into the ground, or replaced 

 by new ones. Nothing is more annoying and injuri- 

 ous than to have a whole lot of vines blown down after 

 every heavy shower. 



The plan of setting stakes in a vineyard, sprung, 

 doubtless, from the observation made, that a grape- 

 vine, and especially its fruit, is very apt to -get injured 

 if left to the mercy of the winds and rain, and dragged 

 about in the mud. The fruit by being elevated from 

 the ground is less subject to the depredations of 

 insects and rabbits, as well as less liable to rot and 

 other diseases. I have already indicated that one 

 great object is also so to set off the vine, with its foliage, 

 &c., as to admit, according to the particular manner of 

 training, the proper effects of sun and atmosphere. 



A vineyard badly and slovenly staked out will be 

 an eye-sore to a good vintner, even at a distance ; 

 while, on the other hand, one well and artistically 



