State Agricultural Society. 489 



back to about one foot, being careful to keep it in an upright position 

 by tying to tbe stake, as before intimated. This cutting back will 

 give the body of the vine stock and size, and will encourage the devel- 

 opment of the upper buds, thus forming spurs about one foot from the 

 ground. The first Winter, or the first pruning proper, should be per- 

 formed in the earl j* part of Winter, when the sap has entirely left the 

 cane and descended into the roots. The two upper spurs should then 

 be cut back to two buds each, not counting the dormant bud. and all 

 spurs or suckers below these should be cut smoothly oft', and the old 

 wood projecting above the shoulder or point where the new cane 

 joins the old wood, should be pared smoothly off, and the ground be 

 thoroughly cultivated as on the previous year. At the second pruning 

 three or four spurs may be left on the vine, according to its strength, 

 and so located as to preserve an equilibrium in the head. These spurs 

 should be cut back to three buds each. No Summer pruning should 

 be practiced except to keep off all undergrowth or suckers, and, per- 

 haps, shortening-in some of the spurs to keep an equilibrium. 



At the third pruning, four or five spurs may be left on the vine, 

 cut back to three buds each. The two outer buds will produce some 

 fruit, while the lower one will probably produce wood and no fruit. 

 Your committee believe, as a general thing, better results may be 

 realized by leaving less spurs than is generally the practice, and al- 

 lowing these a greater length. Some vine growers of experience prac- 

 tice leaving one* more bud on vine all white varieties than on those 

 of colored varieties, the vines being naturally more vigorous and capa- 

 ble of sustaining a greater crop of fruit. The same practice is followed 

 in pruning all varieties bearing a small bunch and berry. The Catawba, 

 Isabella, and all vines of similar habits, should also be allowed a larger 

 number of fruit-bearing buds on each spur, and a less number of spurs 

 than most other varieties. This practice increases the quantity and 

 improves the quality of the fruit. 



PRUNING AND CULTIVATING ON LOW, RICH LANDS. 



The above observations are applicable to the care of vines on all 

 land proper for the cultivation of the vine for wine purposes. On the 

 low, rich river bottoms, where a large amount of wood-growth is the 

 tendency, and where the vines are apt to mildew, quite a different treat- 

 ment is required. In the first place, on such lands the pruning should 

 not be done until in the Spring, when the buds have started well, and 

 on very rich and damp land this may be delayed with advantage even 

 until the blossoms are making their appearance. Then a smaller num- 

 ber of spurs and more buds on each spar should be the rule. The vines 

 will bleed profusely when pruned, and this will do them good, that is, 

 it will check the naturally too rapid and rank growth of wood, and act 

 favorably in the deveiojHnent of fruit. It will almost universally pre- 

 vent the vines from mildewing. The cultivation, too, should be different 

 on such lands. Instead of plowing deep and pulverizing the soil so as 

 to retain the moisture in the soil, as on the high and dry lands, the 

 cultivation should be with a view to produce the exact opposite con- 

 dition. The ground should not be plowed until the weeds have ob- 

 tained a good start in the Spring so as to exhaust as much moisture 

 from the soil as possible, and then it should be plowed very shallow — 

 just deep enough to cut the roots of the weeds below the surface. 

 The whole cultivation of the season should be conducted with a view 



