By Mr. John Robertson. 377 



The cuttings the Vignerons use for planting, are about two 

 feet in length, and from being taken with a piece of the old 

 wood attached to the heel, are called Crossettes ; but this 

 practice may be dispensed with, as a Vine cutting will strike 

 roots along its entire length, though the roots that push from 

 the base of the eyes are always the most vigorous, and of the 

 greatest value, but the goodness of the eyes that are to be 

 left above ground must be especially attended to. 



The ground and cuttings being prepared in the month of 

 March, a trench eighteen inches wide, and ten or twelve 

 inches deep, is opened parallel to the wall, and about four 

 feet distance from it; along the trench, and twenty inches from 

 each other, the cuttings are laid slanting with three eyes 

 above ground, in a direction towards the wall, and rising 

 gently from the soil. The young shoots from the cuttings 

 will, under such circumstances, naturally push towards the 

 wall, and run no risk of breaking off when afterwards bent 

 down. After the cuttings are laid in, the trench is filled two- 

 thirds with earth, the heel of each cutting is trod firm, and 

 a coat of mulch is laid over it to retain the moisture, and pro- 

 mote its striking root, which it rarely fails to do. When 

 the young shoots made by the cuttings are of sufficient length, 

 they are staked to secure them from accidents. The ensuing 

 spring all the shoots are taken off except the strongest ; a 

 trench ten or eleven inches deep is then formed, in a direc- 

 tion towards the wall, into which, after the reserved shoot 

 has been shortened to three eyes, the whole plant is laid, 

 except that part of the new shoot which remains after being 

 shortened, and this is kept above ground. From these three 

 eyes, shoots are produced, and these, with the rest of the 



