ON THE PROPAGATION OF VINES. 313 
of their small roots, and choose a mild day (about the first of 
April, or earlier, is a good season), for the operation. 
By layers. This is a very expeditious mode of growing 
young vines, provided the shoots be laid in pots ; but vines 
raised from shoots laid down in the open ground should be 
avoided as the worst of all plants : they make but few roots, 
and, when removed, these nearly all die off from being cut 
at the extremities in lifting, and the second year of such a 
plant is not much in advance of a good cutting. To grow 
vines by laying the shoots in pots, the following directions, 
if followed, will insure success : For each intended layer 
procure a seven-inch pot, or a small box of a similar, or even 
larger size ; prepare some fine rich sandy mould, containing 
a great portion of decayed leaves, then take the shoot and 
run it through the hole in the bottom of the pot till you 
come to the last three buds ; close up the aperture round 
the shoot with moss, cotton, or any elastic substance, and 
then fill up the pot or box to within half an inch of the top 
with the prepared soil, having previously secured it in a safe 
and level position : and, where it can be conveniently wa- 
tered during the season ; this must be attended to at least 
once a-day. When there is not time for this attendance, the 
pot or box should be plunged under ground, and the layer 
placed thereon, and firmly secured, so that its own force will 
not raise it up ; then cover up the shoots at least three inches, 
leaving space for occasionally holding some liquid nourish- 
ment. Shoots may be thus laid any time from the first of 
March to the first of April. It must be clearly understood 
that the success of the operation depends entirely on keep- 
ing the mould in the pots moist, treating it as directed for 
watering-cuttings. The plant may be separated from the 
vine about the first of September, and instantly planted into 
its desired locality, or put into a larger vessel, and there re- 
main till planting season ; the following year displace the 
tendrils and laterals as directed for cuttings, and in pruning 
cut it down to within three eyes of the ground. We may 
safely assert that it is a species of strangling to a vine in the 
first three years of its growth to be sparing of the knife, al- 
lowing, at once, small weak shoots to be laid in to form in a 
day (comparatively) a plant that is expected to withstand 
the vicissitude of ages, and produce yearly its quantum of 
fruit ; but more of this when treating of pruning. 
27 
