er north.

PLANTING.

The distance at which the vines may be planted will of course vary
somewhat with the growth of the different varieties. The rows may all
be six feet apart, as this is the most convenient distance for
cultivating, and gives ample space for a horse and man to pass through
with plough or cultivator. Slow-growing varieties, such as the Delaware
and Catawba, may be planted six feet apart in the rows, making the
distance six feet each way; but the Concord, Norton's Virginia,
Herbemont, Hartford Prolific, Cunningham, and all the strong growers,
will need more room, say ten feet in the rows, so as to give the vines
ample room to spread, and allow free circulation of air--one of the
first conditions of health in the vines, and quality of the fruit.

The next question to be considered is: Shall we plant cuttings or
rooted plants? My preference is decidedly for the latter, for the
following reasons: Cuttings are uncertain, even of those varieties
which grow the most readily; and we cannot expect to have anything like
an even growth, such as we can have if the plants are carefully
assorted. Some of the cuttings will always fail, and there will be gaps
and vacancies which are hard to fill, even if the strongest plants are
taken for replanting. Therefore, let us choose plants.

But we should not only choose rooted plants, but the best we can get;
and these are good one year old, whether grown from cuttings, layers or
single eyes. A good plant should have plenty of strong, well-ripened
roots; not covered with excrescences and warts, which is always a sign
of ill health; but smooth and firm; with well-ripened, short-jointed
wood. They should be of uniform size, as they will then make an even
stand in the vineyard, when not forced by the propagator into an
unnaturally rank growth by artificial manures. This latter
consideration, I think, is very important, as we can hardly expect such
plants, which have been petted and pampered, and fed on rich diet, to
thrive on the every-day fare they will find in the vineyard. Do not
take second or third rate plants, if you can help it; they may live and
grow, but they will never make the growth which a plant of better
quality would make. We may hear of good results sometimes, obtained by
planting second-rate plants, but certainly the results would be better
if better plants had been chosen. Especially important is the selection
of good plants with those varieties wh