Page:The family kitchen gardener - containing plain and accurate descriptions of all the different species and varieties of culinary vegetables (IA familykitchengar56buis).pdf/188

 .—Shoots of last season’s wood, cut into lengths of about a foot long (of many of the sorts), and planted into any rich, light soil, nearly their whole depth, will root in one scason, and by care and pruning they will grow to fine plants in two years; when they should be planted out where they are intended to remain.

.—The native vine will grow in any kind of soil, except that of a wet or clayey nature, and on any exposure and situation, except low valleys, where in some seasons it mildews and drops its fruit. The best soil is a rich and friable loam, under which there is a stony, sandy, or gravelly bottom. They do not require excessively rich soils, but they stand in need of semi-annual dressings with manures or rich composts, and if this is withheld they will deteriorate in quality and quantity. The soil must be properly ameliorated and enriched before planting, and if trenched with the spade or plough, the benefit derived will amply repay the cost. For vineyards, plant them six feet apart, and eight feet from row to row; train them to trellises or poles made of Red Cedar wood, or White Oak. Eight feet in height for field culture will be sufficient; but for city gardens, where borders of rich soil are prepared for them, they will grow to any height, even to the roof of a five story dwelling, and there produce excessive crops. Trellises for training may be made of any shape or form, but those that are upright are preferable.

.—On the proper execution of this operation greatly depends the prosperity and fruitfulness of the vine. There is frequently so great a mystery thrown around these simple attentions that the timid are afraid even to touch the vine with the knife; while others, whose boldness goes farther than their knowledge, cut right and left with considerable dexterity, feeling satisfied if they show that the wood is at least cut off. To cut the shoots from three to ten eyes of the preceding year’s wood, according to its strength, is a good general rule. To