82 THE GEAPE CULTUEI8T. 



that time their real vigor or weakness can not be readily 

 determined. 



To prepare the vines properly for the vineyard, they 

 should be carefully taken up in the fall of the first season, 

 and " heeled-in" in a cool cellar or in some dry place in the 

 open air. They should remain in this situation until spring, 

 when the ground has becone sufficiently dry to work 

 easily ; but the earlier they can be planted, provided the 

 ground is in suitable condition, the better. When taken 

 out for planting, the roots should be shortened at least one 

 third, and if very long^say two feet or more — then they 

 may be cut back one half, as it wiU not only be more con- 

 venient to plant them if shortened, but the plants will be 

 benefited. 



The plants should be kept under cover while being 

 trimmed, and the roots kept moist and out of the wind, 

 which would soon destroy the small fibers and injure the 

 large ones. The trenches in which the vines are to be 

 planted should be dug before the vines are taken into the 

 field. 



Draw a line across the plot of ground to be planted, and 

 dig out a trench as shown in Fig. 27 ; this is eighteen 



J 



Fig. 2T. 



inches wide, and three deep on one side and five on the 

 other, the bottom being slightly oval ; the soil is thrown 

 all upon one side. When a number of trenches are ready, 

 bring out the vines and plant them in the following man- 

 ner : place the vine in the trench upon the shallow side 

 and spread out the roots toward the opposite side, then 

 throw on soil enougli to hold them in place and cover them, 



