H.—s.
come out at the stake previously set. Then, with your knife, cut back the top to a bud just above, or even with the surface of the ground. Do not leave more than two buds on any one of the young vines which you are planting, however strong the tops, or however stout and wiry the roots may be. One cane is sufficient to grow, and merely to be prepared for possible accident both buds are allowed to start. The weaker of the two shoots may afterwards be removed or pinched back. When planted in the fall, raise a small mound around your vine, so that the water will drain off, and throw a handful of straw or any other mulch on the top of the mound, to protect do not, under any circumstances, cover the vine with manure, either decomposed or fresh. It is a well-authenticated fact that, under the action of nitrogenous agents, the grape grows more luxuriant, its leaves are larger, its product increases in quantity. But the products of vineyards so manured have an acknowledged defect —they impart to the wine a flavour which recalls the kind of manure applied. What is gained in size of bunch and berry is lost in quality and flavour. Over-feeding produces a sappy growth of soft and spongy wood, with feeble buds or eyes, which are in far greater danger of being winter-killed. Moreover, nitrogenous substances exclusively used hasten the decay of vineyards and the exhaustion of the soil, and even those authorities who favour manures in preparing certain grounds, or long after planting, mean a compost made of old barn-yard manure, leaf mould, broken bones, &c, laid up to rot and frequently turned; but do not allow any decomposing organic matter to come in contact with the newly-planted vine. During the first summer little else can be done than to keep the ground mellow, loose about the plants, and free from weeds ; stirring the ground, especially in dry weather, is the best stimulant, and mulching (spreading over the ground a layer of tan-bark, sawdust, straw, salt-hay, or the like, to maintain a more uniform state of temperature and moisture for the roots), is far better than watering. Do not tie up your young vines ;do not pinch off the laterals ; by allowing them to lie on the ground, during the first season, more vigorous stems will be obtained A fair growth is about 4ft. the first summer. Some grape-growers prefer, however, to allow but one shoot, the strongest, to grow, and break the others off; then tie this one shoot to a stake, and pinch back the laterals to one or two leaves each. In the fall, after the foliage is all off, cut back to two or three buds. Cover the short cane left with a few inches of earth before the ground freezes. If any vacancies have occurred, fill out, as soon as possible, with extra strong vines, of the same variety. During the following winter the trellis should be built. The plan adopted by most of our
experienced grape-grow-vantages over other plans, grown in large quantities, some durable timber are 7ft. long, so as to be sft. these posts are set in holes apart in the rows (so that or three vines 6ft. apart, three wires are then along the posts, being a staple n, which is driven is prevented from slipping posts should be larger (Fig. A.) The first wire the ground and the others
ers, as possessing some adespecially if grapes are is as follows: Posts of split Sin. thick and about in height after being set; 2ft. deep, 16ft. to 18ft. either two vines Bft. apart, are between two stakes); stretched horizontally fastened to each post with, in so firmly that the wire through. The two end than the others and braced is placed about 18in. from 18in. apart; this brings
Fig. A.—(Four wires, 15in. apart.)
the upper wire about 4ft. 6in. from the ground. The size of the wire used is No. 10 annealed
iron; No. 12 wire is strong enough. A good many grape-growers train cheaper; and the decline in the price adopt the least costly plan. This of allowing us to cultivate, plough, and tions, leaving but little to hoe around shown in Fig. B, but with our strong foliage and fruit too much; others is plenty, even three stakes, placed it, and wind its canes around them disadvantage of training on stakes is, must be almost annually taken out, consequently require more labour, and cedar poles or other very durable timSome people believe that we could stakes entirely, and urge the adoption plan, used in parts of France and for our strong-growing species in this Another mode of cultivation, which in Italy, seems more applicable to many the cultivation of the vine on living tree principally employed for this purmaple. The trees are planted at the are about 4ft. to sft.-high. They are
their vines to stakes, believing it to be of grapes and wine induces many to method has also the great advantage cross-plough the ground in all directhe vines. Some use one stake only, as growers this mode is apt to crowd therefore use two, and, where timber around each vine, about lOin. from spirally until they reach the top. The that these soon rot in the ground, and repointed, and driven into the soil, are not as durable as trellis, unless ber is used. even dispense with both trellis and of the " Souche " or "Buck pruning" Switzerland, but quite impracticable climate. our G. E. Meissner had occasion to see of our hardy American varieties : it is trees instead of trellis or stakes. The pose is the Acer campestris, a species of age of two to four years, when they planted in vineyards at a distance of
Fig. B.
about 12ft. each way, some planting also with a wider space between the rows, and cultivating the intervening space with other crops. At the same time with the trees are planted the vines, which are set in the rows about midway between the trees. The vines and trees are both well cultivated, so as to induce a rapid and healthy growth. At the end of the season the vines are cut down to two
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