8o FRUIT CULTURE UNDER GLASS. 



I planted vines about 4 feet high at the middle of July, 

 putting a supernumerary to every light, from which I cut 

 ripe grapes the following July, thus not losing a year's 

 crop. 



Manner of Planting. — How to plant is of more 

 importance than when to plant, for the success of after- 

 years depends more upon it. Let it be supposed that 

 the border is in readiness for the plants. Here there is 

 a mass of soil, and one of the chief objects aimed at in 

 planting should be how best to do so, as to cause the roots 

 to take the most equable and thorough possession of it 

 in their progress of growth. If the vines be turned out 

 of their pot without breaking their balls or "shaking 

 them out," nine out of every ten will not form a fresh 

 growth from the old roots, but will stand stUl until 

 there are young roots pushed out from the stem above 

 the old roots, immediately under the surface of the soil. 

 These roots will of necessity be few in number, but 

 strong, and will push away into the border without 

 branching much for a time. This, of course, is undesir- 

 able. If the roots are thoroughly divested of the soil 

 and spread carefully out, and if at the same time 1 foot 

 or 18 inches of the stem is laid in the soil, they wUl 

 in this case also stand still, until the stem throws out a 

 whorl of strong roots near the surface of the soil, and 

 the vines wiU entirely forsake the old roots. This willmore 

 especially be the case if the old roots are, as is some- 

 times the case, laid out into the cold outside border, and 

 the stem emerges from the border inside, where it is sub- 

 ject to the influence of the hot- water pipes. These two 

 ways of planting are consequently objectionable. 



The best way is to thoroughly divest the roots of all 

 the soil, wash them clean in tepid water, aud dis- 

 entangle them carefully. Should any of them be much 



