THE VINE. 



295 



slice off half the wood opposite the bud, as a 

 further inducement to the more rapid forma- 

 tion of roots. The eyes should be planted early 

 in January, and singly in small pots, filled with 

 a compost consisting of good friable loam, leaf- 

 mould, and sand. They ought then to be kept 

 in moderate heat for a week, and afterwards 

 plunged in a propagating-case, or hot-bed, having 

 a bottom-heat of 75°. When the plants have 

 made roots and growth as shown in fig. 1076, 

 the bottom-heat may be increased to 85°, the 

 top-heat averaging about the same by day and 

 75° by night. As soon as the roots have reached 

 the sides of the pots, give the plants a shift into 

 larger-sized pots, which, unless the Vines are 

 intended for forcing the next season, need not 

 exceed 7 inches in diameter. By the time the 

 plants are ready for shifting they will be grow- 

 ing freely, and by affording them the right 

 degree of top and bottom heat, with plenty of 

 light, air, and moisture, as well as occasional 

 waterings with clear liquid manure, or weak 

 guano- water, strong, well-rooted plants, with 

 firm wood, will be ensured by the end 

 of the season, and superior to those 

 raised from cuttings and other means. 



Another method of raising Vines 

 from eyes is by inserting each eye 

 singly in pieces of turf a few inches 

 square, placed closely together in a 

 propagating-case, or on a hot-bed. As 

 soon as plenty of roots have been 

 formed, each plant should be potted 

 off and grown on in precisely the same 

 manner afterwards as advised above. 



Layering. — By this mode it was for- 

 merly usual to propagate the Vine in 

 the open ground, and strong plants 

 were produced by the end of the first 

 season. Layering is but little practised now, 

 and then only when it is desirable to fill part 

 or the whole of a house with rods of the same 

 variety. To accomplish this, take an estab- 

 lished Vine possessing sufficient flexibility to 

 be bent round and brought down to the sur- 

 face of the border without sustaining damage. 

 Then open out a narrow trench in the border, 

 and of sufficient depth that the rod may be buried 

 just below the surface. A few strong pegs will 

 be necessary to hold the rod in position, and 

 when this has been done, cover with soil. When 

 the buds break, all that is necessary is to select 

 the required number of rods from among the 

 strongest and most conveniently placed of the 

 young shoots issuing from the spurs, and rub 

 all others off. In a short space of time an 



abundance of roots will be emitted from each 

 spur, and by the end of the season the entire 

 length of the old rod will have become firmly 

 rooted, and the roof furnished with strong 

 healthy rods. This method of layering is prac- 

 ticable only when the borders are situated inside 

 the vinery. 



Grafting. — The grafting of Vines is easily and 



Fig. 1077.— Grafting the Vine. 



successfully accomplished, provided the opera- 

 tion is performed when both stock and scion are 

 in a fit state. When vegetation is inactive no 

 vital union can take place; and, on the other 

 hand, if the Vine is wounded when the sap is 

 rising, and before the leaves expand, bleeding 

 ensues. Having at the time of pruning selected 

 scions from the best-matured shoots of the kind 

 it is intended to propagate, let their ends be in- 

 serted in pots filled with moist earth and stand 

 outdoors until required. In the meantime the 

 stock or branch intended to be worked should 

 be cut back to where the graft is to be put on; 

 doing this before there is any danger of bleed- 

 ing likely to occur. The grafting may be done 

 either on last year's wood or that which is older, 

 taking care, however, to see that a bud is 



