ANNUAL MEETING-—1868. 
585 
servance and non-observance of the great law of compensation, alluded to 
before, as governing so many of our horticultural operations. The secret of 
success lies in (his, in giving to the vine just taken up the sarm condition of things as 
it possessed before removal. The same depth, the same direction of its roots, 
the same kind of fine particles of earth about its rootlets, and protection for 
a time against drouth and cold. 
In planting my vines, I use no spade, I dig no grave, no hole, but the soil 
just prepared and in good condition, with my hand if the roots are small, or 
with my trowel if the reots are large, I scoop or gently push on one side, the 
earth to a depth of from four to five inches ; and over a space large enough 
for the natural spread of the roots. I now put in a stick which is to sup¬ 
port t]^e vine in its growth and then the plant. The stock occupies the 
highest part of the cavity, its neck being nearly on a level with the surface 
of the ground, and the roots are inclined downwards to a depth of four or 
five inches, being made, by the careful manipulation of an assistant, to as¬ 
sume their original direction, while the fresh earth is sifted through the 
hands over them. The earth removed is now pushed in and over this a pro¬ 
per amount of mulch, heavy for the winter and light for the summer; the 
summer mulch being allowed to remain around the plant for the first two 
years. With this mode of planting, giving it as near as may be, the same 
conditions it was before possessed of and conducting the whole operation 
with a sort of kindly care, I very rarely fail. 
The distance at which vines should be planted from each other, is usually 
governed in a very arbitrary manner. In vineyards of course where the 
vines of one variety are planted over a given space, one and the same law 
may with propriety obtain. But in gardens where it is customary to grow 
several or many varieties, such a system is not proper. I know the books 
say plant so many feet apart, two or four or more, but when you consider 
that vines differ in their nature and habits, one being a rampant and the 
ether a shy grower, one having a dense foilage and another scarcely enough, 
one requiring to be almost constantly thinned out and the other very little 
thinning, one wanting manure—high living, and another moderate, and still 
another poor fare, then I doubt not you will agree with me that it is not wise 
or philosophical to attempt to govern all by one law. There is, gentlemen, 
as much difference in the nature, character and habits of our vines as among 
our children or ourselves, and it is only by the careful, the watchful study 
and knowledge of these peculiarities, that we can or ought to expect to lay 
down laws for proper government. 
Besides, even vines of the same variety will sometimes differ in their hab¬ 
its. Circumstances, not always easy to detect or determine, make it neces¬ 
sary to give to a particular vine a little more latitude, though its fellows of 
the same variety, may, as a rule, do best with less. And so, with another, 
that should be a strong grower, you will find some seasons that it has not done 
so well. That is, that it has not made so much wood, or such large canes, or 
ripened its wood so early or so thoroughly, or borne so much fruit, or such 
