SECRETARY'S REPORT. 95 



At the end of the season cut back the long shoot to the lower 

 bar of the espalier, which is usually about eighteen inches from 

 the ground, and cut the short one clean back to'the old wood, 

 your purpose being to have a single stem for about a half yard 

 from the ground ; but if the grape is trained against a house, 

 and it is desired to lead off the side arms at a greater height, 

 as above a door, &c, then cut off the vine at that height, 

 observing that there must be but one stem from the ground to 

 the point from whence the arms diverge ; and any shoots which 

 come out at the base of the vine, must always be rubbed out, 

 lest they run away with the strength of the vine and rob the 

 upper shoots of the necessary sap. 



The second year you will allow two shoots to grow from the 

 top of the vine ; lay them in diagonally on the espalier, pinching 

 them occasionally as before, and if the buds on the main stem 

 push, pinch them at the second leaf as before. I forgot to say 

 that at the fall pruning, all the laterals should be cut clean out. 

 If dry weather ensue, water occasionally at the root, and syringe 

 the foliage occasionally if you have leisure. At the end of the 

 season cut away all the laterals and lay in the two shoots right 

 and left on the espalier, horizontally, cutting each of them back 

 to a strong bud. Be sure to cut back to a strong bud, for these 

 arms are to be permanent, and it is necessary the wood should 

 be strong and well ripened. 



The third year you may take a few bunches, if your vine is 

 strong, but it is better to wait until the fourth year, as the 

 bearing even a few bunches checks the extension of wood. 

 Your side arms will push every eye. Train upright shoots from 

 these horizontal arms at about eighteen inches distance ; this 

 will usually be every alternate bud ; rub out the bud in the 

 interval, all buds, if there be more than one between these 

 upright shoots ; pinch all laterals at the second leaf as before, 

 whether on old wood or new, and pinch the upright shoots when 

 they get to the top of the espalier ; sooner, if they run away 

 weakly. 



In the autumn, cut every alternate upright shoot back to one 

 eye, to make new shoots next year for subsequent bearing, and 

 leave the others at full length for bearing, unless they are not 

 strong ; in that case cut them back to a strong bud. It may 

 happen that the side shoots will take several years to fill up the 



