364 



BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



buds removed, but the second and third from the arms, upon 

 all the canes of the last season's growth. In No. 2 all the 

 buds were removed except two in the middle of each cane ; 

 while in No. 3 all but the two extreme well-matured buds 

 were removed. The unexpected result was, that all the 

 bunches were of nearly the same size, or as nearly as could 

 be found upon vines in the same condition in any other part 

 of the vineyard, — a result quite contrary to the theory upon 

 which grape-vines are commonly pruned, i.e., that the two or 

 three buds nearest the main cane will produce the best fruit. 

 It is the opinion of some of our best cultivators of the 

 grape, that the rudiments of the blossoms which are to pro- 

 duce the fruit of the following season are to be found in the 

 buds before the growth begins. This is true with many of 

 our fruits, as the apple, peach, &c, but not so with the grape. 

 The canes which produce the fruit must grow, and develop 



the fruit-buds, and per- 

 fect the fruit, all in one 

 season. 



It is true the crop 

 depends upon the 

 growth of the previous 

 season, and, the more 

 vigorous and perfectly 

 matured the wood, the 

 better will be the fruit. 

 Fig. 3 illustrates a sec- 

 tion of the fully-devel- 

 oped bud of the Concord grape as it appears in January, 

 magnified about ten diameters. 



Fig. 3. 



APPLE AND PEAK. 



To be added to the above work of experimenting with 

 special fertilizers upon fruits are the analyses of the apple, 

 pear, cranberry, and strawberry. 



