48 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Jail., 



the Yankee ingenuity of our ladies to find some way to use all tlie 

 fruits we will be likely to supply them. 



I can think of nothing better to close this paper with than the 

 following from Leisure Hours for Feb., 1884. "Home without a 

 mother is a familiar phrase, as is also home without a baby, but a 

 home without a fruit garden seems, to us, to be no home at all." 



Mr. Blot. I would like to ask Mr. Hale what time he 

 has found to be the best season for pruning grape-vines ? 



Mr. Hale. Ours are usually pruned in November. 



Mr. Blot. Does it make any difference what time you 

 prune them, between November and March ? 



Mr. Hale. We have a lady in our family about seventy- 

 eight years old who takes care of those 116 grape-vines. She 

 could tell you a great deal more about it than I can. We 

 furnish the vines and set them out and she takes the entire 

 charge of them. 



Mr. Blot. She is not here ; I am interested in grapes and 

 want to know whether it makes any difference what time they 

 are pruned. 



Mr. Hale. Mr. Williams of New Jersey can answer that 

 question a great deal better than I can. 



Mr. Blot. We would like to hear from Mr. Williams, then. 



Mr. Williams. I think it makes no difference if the wood 

 is thoroughly matured. It used to be the received opinion 

 that the vines should be pruned in the spring, but I think 

 fall pruning is about right. I have just finished mine — about 

 a week ago. 



Mr. Van Deusen. Mr. Hale spoke about close pruning. I 

 would like to know what he calls " close pruning ? " Whether 

 to one bud, two buds, or more ? 



Mr. Hale. Keep it down to the stake, not over six feet 

 high. That is not supposed to be very close. 



Mr. Van Deusen. Suppose it to be on a trellis, fan-shaped, 

 and spread out, do you prune to one or two buds ? 



Mr. Hale. She usually prunes to two buds, where we get 

 the best grapes. 



