20 
ration. If a very steep hillside is to be used it may be necessary to 
terrace it in order to work among the vines and prevent the loose 
soil being washed away from the roots. It was once thought that 
only hillsides should be used for grapes, perhaps, because in Ger- 
many many remarkable vineyards are planted on steep hillsides. 
The cost of growing this fruit in such places is greater than upon 
easy slopes, heme, for the commercial fruit grower, the steep hill- 
sides should be avoided. 
The soil should be deeply pulverized. The grape has a peculiar 
root system. The roots are long and slender, they penetrate the 
soil at great distances in search of food and moisture, and to aid 
them in this important work the soil should be loose and friable. 
Deep plowing before planting is highly recommended. Some writers 
recommend sub-soiling, but this should not be necessary. A soil 
that would require sub-soiling is not suited for the grape. It is 
very evident that gravelly soil could not be much improved by sub- 
soiling, and a compact soil would soon fall back into the same com- 
pact condition after sub-soiling and the vineyard would suffer be- 
cause of an uncongenial soil. 
Though vines are planted 8 or 9 feet apart, the entire area to be 
planted must be plowed. Such preparation will insure a better 
growth of vines than could be expected by plowing only narrow 
strips or digging small holes. The roots rapidly extend themselves 
over the entire area. In the Erie county district sod land is custom- 
arily plowed in lands 9 feet wide, leaving dead furrow T s at the same 
distance, and being about 9 inches deep, these dead furrows are used 
to plant the vines in. The sod will rot while the plants are becoming 
established. Stubble land is plowed entirely and prepared for 
planting by running a double furrow at the proper interval of space. 
SELECTION OF VINES FOR PLANTING. 
The age at which grape-vines are planted in vineyards is one or 
two years. No. 1 one-year old vines are in excellent condition for 
planting, bearing a strong cane of cutting bed growth and a goodly 
supply of roots. Very often, how T ever, one-year old plants are weak, 
particularly if the weather w 7 as not favorable to their growth in the 
cutting bed. In such cases two-year old plants should be selected. 
Nurserymen usually recommend two-year old plants, but specialists 
in grape culture often handle the grape at one year old. 
Single plants of standard varieties sell at 10 to 20 cents each, or 
$1.00 to $2.00 per dozen; but for extensive planting, they should be 
purchased in quantity at from $r>.00 to $10.00 per hundred, according 
to the variety and vigor of the plants. No weakly or stunted plants 
should be planted. 
