60 



ON THE MANAGEMENT 



wine ; but, in a hot-house, the best eating grapes 

 are only planted,) yet many of the new kinds 

 from seed will prove to be worse sorts than the 

 originals from which the seed was saved. A spe- " 

 cimen, therefore, of the fruit should be obtained 

 from each plant, be tried and tasted, before it is 

 permitted to be planted against the walls, or pre- 

 ferred into the hot-house, Hence you see it will 

 be proper to keep the plants until they are three 

 or four years old, before you dispose of them either 

 on the wall or in the hot-house; and then, if they 

 be managed as will be hereafter directed, they 

 will produce the fruit you like and approve, and 

 with the greatest certainty. 



Having dispatched this new method of raising 

 the Vine from seed, I shall next beg leave to sug- 

 gest a few hints on the subject of the customary 

 method of propagating this plant, and shall after- 

 wards endeavour to lay down a new and improved 

 method of raising vine-plants by cuttings. 



The general method of propagating the Vine is, 

 either by layers or cuttings. The Vine is a free- 

 striking plant, therefore young plants may be ob- 

 tained each way without much difficulty. 



When the Vine is intended to be propagated by 

 a layer, a shoot that will easily bend to the ground 

 is generally chosen for the purpose. After making 

 the ground light and fine with the spade, the shoot 

 should be fastened by a small hooked stick at 

 about six inches below its surface. If a little light 

 fresh soil, with a mixture of pond mud, were well 



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