ON THE PROPAGATION OF VINES. 311 



trouble and expense incurred in making a suitable compost. 

 However^ the disadvantage of a poor soil may in part be 

 compensated for by planting the vines closer together. If, 

 indeed; vines could not be planted with any prospect of 

 success, except in borders purposely prepared, only a very 

 small quantity of grapes would be grown, compared with 

 w^hat this rich and fertile country is capable of producing. 



Many instances occur in towns and cities, around dwell- 

 ings and other descriptions of brick and stone erections, 

 which present very favorable situations for the training of 

 vines, but, which, nevertheless, are so situated as to admit 

 of little or no soil being placed at their roots. In such 

 cases, if an opening can be made, twenty inches deep, and 

 as many wide, it will be sufficient to admit of the roots of 

 a young vine, which will support it till its rambling roots 

 have found their way under the pavement, or along the walls 

 to some more distant nourishment ; if a wider space can be 

 made, it will, of course, be better : loosen the sides and 

 bottom as much as possible, and fill up with compost, as 

 previously directed, and therein plant the vine. The surface 

 covering, whether of brick or stone, may be replaced after 

 the soil has fully settled, leaving a hole about six inches 

 square to allow the stem of the plant to swell in its future 

 growth. The roots soon find their way under the paving or 

 along the foundation walls, and, indeed, in every direction, 

 in search after food, and will extract nourishment from 

 sources apparently harren. The fact is that the roots of 

 the vine possess an astonishing power of adapting them- 

 selves to any situation in which they may be planted, pro- 

 vided it he a dry one, 



ON THE PROPAGATION OF VINES. 



Vines are generally propagated in the open ground by 

 cuttings and layers. 



Bu cuttings. At the general pruning, provide cuttings of 

 the preceding summer's growth ; choose such as are of a 

 medium size, well-ripened and short-jointed, cut them into 

 lengths of about eighteen inches each, leaving at the ends 

 not less than two inches of wood to protect the eye; place 

 these temporary cuttings about three-fourths of their length 



