322 Transactions of the 



at such length as to leave the third bud, generally, and sometimes the 

 fourth, when a good strong one, and then rubbing off the first and sec- 

 ond buds, and leaving the third and fourth for fruit. 



The number of fruit buds left on any vine must depend on the age and 

 strength of the vine. If the vines are strong and vigorous, at three 

 years, from two to three bunches of grapes may be allowed to mature 

 on each, without injury. The next year the number may be increased, 

 and so on, increasing the quantity of fruit with the age of the vine. 



Having completed the annual pruning, the next operation to be per- 

 formed in the vineyard is the Spring cultivation. It requires some 

 expei'ience and judgment to determine when and how to cultivate the 

 vineyard; for each locality and soil requires a treatment peculiar to 

 itself. And the same vineyard requires a different treatment, depending 

 on the purposes for which the grapes are to be used. 



CULTIVATION ON DRY SOIL. 



If your vines are on a dry soil, one that is not well calculated to retain 

 the moisture well into the Summer months, then the cultivation should 

 begin early and continue as long as any weed seed will sprout and grow. 

 The cultivation of such should be deep and thorough. The ground 

 should be finely and thoroughly pulverized from the depth of eight 

 inches to a foot or sixteen inches — plowing both ways and close up to 

 the vine. Care should be had that this plowing is done when the ground 

 is in the proper condition, so that it will not break up into lumps and 

 clods. After plowing each time a cultivator or one-horse harrow should 

 follow, so as to keep the ground level and smooth on the surface. Such 

 cultivation will insure a good crop of grapes for wine purposes on the 

 driest soil in our State, even in our driest seasons. Of course we speak 

 of vineyards of some age, say four years or over. 



CULTIVATION ON MOIST SOILS. 



Vineyards on our low, rich river bottoms require very different treat- 

 ment; indeed, such cultivation as we have pointed out above given to 

 vineyards along the banks of our rivers, where the soil is deep, damp, 

 and rich, would most certainly render such vineyards nearly if not quite 

 valueless. We have known many vineyards, on such lands and culti- 

 vated under such a thorough system of cultivation, to bring nothing but 

 disappointment to their owners for years in suecession. The vines groAV 

 luxuriantly, and each year put out an abundance of fruit spurs and blos- 

 soms, giving promise and hope of a large and valuable crop. But when 

 the berries are about the size of bird shot, and from that up to the size 

 of small peas, mildew makes its appearance on the leaves and grapes, 

 and the more luxuriant the vine the more vigorous the spread and 

 growth of the mildew. From the time the mildew makes its appear- 

 ance the growth of the grape is cheeked, and when it should begin 

 swelling the second time, instead of doing so it remains stationary or 

 nearly so. Some of the bunches on the same vine will do much better 

 than others, and some of the berries on the same bunch will grow to 

 tw r ice the size of others. Some make an effort to color, while others 

 remain a dingy green. 



Year after year we have seen the same thing occur, the owner each 

 year making renewed effort to give his vines better treatment, earlier 

 pruning and more thorough cultivation, and each year meeting with the 



