26 GLEANINGS ON HORTICULTURE. 



ing to force in the following spring, when I manage the vines 

 thus: — 



I disbud all eyes as soon as I can catch hold of them with my 

 finger and thumb, except those represented above ; and when 

 the wood is completely exhausted of its sap from C to D by the 

 growing shoots, I then cut the shrunk branch off at C. I take 

 from each vine, on an average, from ten to fifteen bunches of 

 grapes, and fruit the same vines two years in the same boxes in 

 which they were first planted. I imagine that my success may 

 be attributed to leaving the old wood to be exhausted of its sap 

 by the new; for much finer rods can be obtained by doing this 

 than by the old-fashioned way of managing young vines. I never 

 cut out the eyes of the vine in a dormant state, but allow them 

 to break, for I think it the more advantageous plan to allow the 

 sap to be put in motion first. When there is no outlet for the 

 sap above the growing shoot, it immediately returns to the root, 

 and is taken up in its downward passage by the growing shoot. 

 The circumstance of vines imder glass emitting roots at the joints 

 along the shoots is not uncommon, but it is injurious to the pros- 

 perity of the vine, and tends to prevent the existing crop from 

 acquiring perfection. Moisture favours the formation of these 

 roots; they shrivel in hot dry weather, but push again during a 

 dull state of atmosphere. They arise from the shoots being in a 

 favourable situation for growth, and the roots the reverse. The 

 leaves elaborate a quantity of sap proportionate to their size, and 

 to the share which light has had in perfecting their development 

 where vigorous growth is promoted. There is always a surplus 

 beyond what the stem and its dependencies above ground 

 require ; and the proper destination of this is the roots, that their 

 increase may correspond with that of the plant above them. 

 When roots of vines are healthy in properly drained soil, suffi- 

 ' ciently warm and not too deep, their growth proceeds in proper 



