ON THE CULTIVATION AND FORCING OF THE VINE. 89 
it involved not only the loss of the previous year’s shoot, but it 
required also at least two inches of the two-year old wood ; the 
beginning of February is the time generally adopted for putting 
in the cuttings, which should have two inches of the old wood 
with one eye of the new, and should be planted separately in 
small pots, leaving the eye above the soil; they should be 
plunged in bottom heat, and be shifted when it is required. 
Propagation by buds is by far the best, simplest, and most 
economical method that can be adopted ; they generally become 
better rooted, and consequently produce wood of a superior 
texture to that produced under any of the above systems : it is 
now generally adopted either for pot culture, or for furnishing 
a vinery with permanent plants. Select the earliest and best 
ripened wood, where the eyes or buds are well swelled, and the 
shoots are moderately strong and short jointed, with very little 
pith ; these may be chosen at the pruning season, and preserved 
till the spring, by placing their lower ends in soil. The season 
for propagating is the same as when cuttings are employed: an 
inch and a half of wood attached to each bud will be sufficient, 
that is, an inch below and half an inch above the bud : plant 
them singly in small pots, using a rich sandy soil, laying them 
in a horizontal position, and covering the eye with half an inch 
of soil; plunge them in bottom heat, and when they are rooted 
and have begun to grow, they will require plenty of pot room, 
and a very rich soil, with frequent waterings of liquid manure ; 
it thus treated, and kept growing in a moderate heat, they will 
make excellent rods by the autumn, for the next year’s forcing. 
Inarching requires to be done when the wood is in a green 
state, to make them unite soon; but this system is only avail¬ 
able where the plants are growing together : the method of 
performing it being so generally understood, I will not take up 
time by describing it. 
Grafting is a mode of propagation wdiich I consider preferable 
to inarching; for as vines can only be inarched successfully on 
the young wood, it sometimes happens that young wood cannot 
conveniently be had where it is wanted. Grafting, on the other 
hand, can be performed on one, two, or three years' old wood, 
which gives it a decided preference. The time for putting on 
the grafts or scions is when the stock has made about six inches 
of young growth ; then take the scions, which may have been 
put past for the purpose, and which are consequently in a dor- 
