PRACTICAL PAPERS—SMALL FRUITS. 
205 
2J feet apart, as fast as you need them. Let the plow run just 
deep enough to scrape off the dry earth. This gives moist 
soil to set the roots in. 
In planting, use a dibble made of spring steel, beaten thin, 
three inches wide and tapering, the point rounded, the whole 
length, including handle, to‘be about eight or ten inches. This 
makes a broad opening, so that the roots may bespread out 
like a fan. Set the plants about 1J feet apart in the row, in a 
perpendicular position, just deep enough to admit the roots 
without covering the crown; start the dibble in again about 
one inch from the hole already made, in a slanting direction, 
so that the two will intersect at the bottom, then press the 
earth firmly against the plant, withdraw the dibble and fill up. 
Winter Protection .—Late in the fall cover the vines with po¬ 
tato tops or cornstalks, which are the best; put on just enough 
to shade the ground from the rays of the sun. If straw is used 
for covering, the ground is apt to be filled more or less with 
foul seed. In the spring the covering should be removed in 
season so as not to retard the grow’th of the plants. 
The Annual System of planting is one of the neatest in use, 
as weeds have no chance to get a foot-hold, unless the culti¬ 
vator is negligent. Here the plants are set out in rows two or 
three feet apart, and about a foot apart in the row. They are 
carefully cultivated the first season, and as soon as the crop is 
picked the second year they are plowed under. To insure a 
full crop the soil must be made very rich, and the planting 
done in the most careful manner in the fall, or early in the 
spring. v 
GRAPES. 
The grape is grown upon various soils, and may be raised 
by everyone who has a garden, yard, or wall. It may be 
tied to a stake, bound to a trellis, or trained over an arbor, tree 
or building; always yielding its luscious clusters. Under 
good management it is capable of extraordinary results. With¬ 
out taxing 3 ’our patience, I cannot go into details upon its cul¬ 
ture, but will merely give a few directions upon the most es¬ 
sential points. 
