VINEYARDS. 47 



points for the purpose of pruning or gathering the fruit without 

 passing to either end of a trellis. 



For the first two years — if one year old plants — I usually 

 plant a single row of cuttings, turnips, carrots or beans ; turn a 

 furrow midway of the rows ; into this I put fine compost ; the 

 ground is frequently stirred and the weeds kept down, the crop 

 paying the expense of cultivation. For the third year the fruit 

 will pay it. 



The portion of my vineyard that I offer for your consider- 

 ation contains some two hundred vines, from two to eight years 

 old, and for convenience, I will divide them into four classes. 



Class 1, was planted out at one year from the cutting ; after 

 the leaves fell they were cut back two or three buds ; the second 

 year they were allowed to trail upon the ground without any 

 summer pruning. My aim is to get strong, healthy and vigor- 

 ous roots, before training the vine for fruiting. At my annual 

 or winter pruning, I select two of the most vigorous and healthy 

 shoots for training to the stakes, cut them back, leaving six or 

 eight eyes ; they are now ready for the stakes. 



Class 2, were three year old vines ; the process has been the 

 same as in class one, with this exception : at my annual pruning 

 I left upon each vine one shoot for layering. As soon as the 

 frost is out of the ground I set my stakes two or three feet 

 apart, winding my short canes around the stakes, which prevents 

 somewhat the too free flow of sap to the upper part of the vine, 

 and gives more vigor to the lower portion ; the strongest of the 

 two upper shoots of each cane is allowed to run to the top of 

 the stakes, for the continuation of the cane, and there stopped. 

 All laterals are nipped at the second leaf, and all shoots from 

 the cane of last year's growth at the sixth or eighth leaf. A 

 few bunches of fruit are allowed to mature. At the close of this 

 year commences my method of pruning bearing vines, which is 

 as follows : spur all arms to two eyes, giving to each cane an 

 equal number ; cut back the canes of the present year's growth 

 according to the strength and vigor of the vine. 



The 3d class was set at the same time as the preceding, but 

 were two years old when set, and have been pruned as stated 

 in class two. At the commencement of the fourth season, or as 

 soon as the buds have pushed a few inches, I rub off all that I do 

 not wish to retain for fruiting or spurring, and as soon as the 



