AMERICAN WILD VINE. 139 



reason, except an occasional hoeing, to destroy the weeds, and to loosen the soil 

 in order to admit the air and moisture about the roots. Should the season prove 

 dry, however, and the earth around the plants become parched, it will be neces- 

 sary to irrigate them frequently with rain or river water, or with prepared 

 liquids as suggested above. Early in autumn, rub off all the buds from each 

 plant, except two, which are to be reserved for training the ensuing year. 



The method of managing the vine from the first to the sixth year, as practised 

 by Mr. B. E. Valentine, of Philadelphia, and published in Hoffy's '-Orchardist's 

 Companion," for 1841, is the same as that recommended by Clement Hoare, a 

 highly esteemed writer on the cultivation of the vine, and whose mode, with a 

 slight variation for climate or seasons, is believed to be best adapted for this spe- 

 cies of culture of any practised in the United States. " On the first of Decem- 

 ber, or as long as the weather remains open," says he, " the soil round the roots 

 should not be covered over ; but, as soon as frost comes, a good covering of lit- 

 ter, or well-rotted manure must be laid over the ground, as far as the roots 

 extend ; and if the weather be very severe, it will be better also to cover over 

 the stem to the depth of five or six inches above the top of it. The young plant 

 being thus well protected from the severity of the winter, may remain in this 

 state till the first of March. 



SECOND YEAR. 



March 1st. Remove the covering, and fork np the snrface of the ground, to the 

 depth of two or three inches, that the sun and air may freely penetrate it. April 

 1st. Keep the soil round the roots free from weeds, and the surface of it loose, 

 either by raking or forking it up as often as necessary. May 1st. Now remem- 

 ber that only a single shoot is permanently to be trained throughout the sum- 

 mer ; the object of leaving two buds the previous autumn, being to provide 

 against the loss of a shoot in case of any accident. As soon, therefore, as the 

 strongest has grown sufficiently to be out of danger of being accidentally rubbed 

 off, the other is to be cut out, as hereafter directed. If any other shoots have 

 pushed besides the two principal ones, rub them all off. As soon as the shoots have 

 grown about a foot in length, nail them to the wall or fence, as the case may be. 

 Do this very carefully, for they are as yet extremely tender. When they have 

 grown about six inches from the last nailing, they must again be nailed, and 

 continually kept so, never suffering the tops of the shoots to be blown about by 

 the wind. As the tendrils and lateral shoots successively appear throughout the 

 summer, pinch off the former when they have grown about three inches in 

 length, and the latter to an inch beyond the first eye. June 1st. Throughout 

 this month, and the two following ones, whenever the ground appears parched 

 through by the heat of the weather, give the roots, once a day, about half a gal- 

 lon of soap-suds, or dung- water. Keep the ground free from weeds, and the sur- 

 face loose and open, by raking or forking it up once a week throughout the sum- 

 mer. July 1st. The young shoots being firmly united to the preceding year's 

 wood, and therefore past all danger of being broken otf by any accident, unnail 

 the weakest shoot of the two, and cut it out close to the stem, making the sur- 

 face of the wound quite smooth and even. The remaining shoot must be kept 

 nailed to the wall as before directed. November 1st. Cut the vine to the two 

 lowermost buds, and in the winter, if the weather be frosty, cover the ground 

 over in the same manner as in the preceding winter. 



THIRD YEAR. 



March 1st. The winter covering may now be removed, (provided there should 



