Pruning and Training the Vine, 89 



Vice-President Munson in the chair — In order to connect the dis- 

 cussions, and so gather kindred subjects together, we will call on 

 Mr. Williams, of New Jersey, for his paper. 



PRUNING AND TRAINING THE VINE. 



BY E. WILLIAMS, OF NEW JERSEY. 



Mr. President and Fellow Horticulturists : 



It may seem presumptuous that I should leave my Northern home and 

 come to this Crescent City of the tropics to act the role of teacher to such a 

 body of veteran and expert horticulturists as are here assembled. 



Seeing that I am but an humble piipil in the primary department I feel 

 that my proper place would be among the audience. 



When your Secretary apphed to me for a paper for this occasion I an- 

 swered him in such a negative way that I confess I was surprised on receiv- 

 ing notice that he had assigned me to this position. I fear I shall disappoint 

 you. However, holding as I do, that we are never v^oo old to learn, and that 

 sometimes an idea, or principle, however simple and commonplace it may 

 be, is remembered and made to stick, by the peculiar manner or circum- 

 stances attending its presentation, I shall ask your indulgence a short time 

 while I ofer a few thoughts on the subject assigned me. 



The first or cardinal principle attending my horticultural efforts of this 

 kind, by both voice and pen, has been and is to educate and encourage the 

 people to grow and consume more fruit, believing as I do, that a generous 

 fruit diet by the people pays the largest profit on the investment ; and, that 

 those who own and till the soil of this fair land should have and enjoy that 

 profit at first hands. I hold this should be the primary object and legitimate 

 mission of this and kindred societies, and not be lost sight of by the com- 

 mercial aspects of the case. 



There should first be an abundant family supply, and the general public 

 will readily take the surplus. To accomplish this the elementary principles 

 should be made so plain that the merest tyro can easily understand them. 



My province, therefore, in this brief paper, will be to tell you " what I 

 know about" pruning and training the vine, as applicable to the garden and 

 vineyard; and if, perchance, any of my hearers here, or my readers here- 

 after, shall get an idea of practical benefit to them my purpose will be ac- 

 complished. 



From long and somewhat extended observations I incline to the opinion 

 that there is no operation of the fruit garden so little understood as this one 

 of pruning the vine. Notwithstanding all that has been written and pub- 

 lished in regard to the matter, the masses are still lamentably ignorant on 

 this subject. Whether this is due to the ambiguity of the instructions given, 

 or to the carelessness and thoughtlessness of the readers, I am not able to 

 say. I may say, however, judging from local observation, that not one in 



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