52 State Horticultural Society. 



About the middle of May we go through the whole vineyard, pinch- 

 ing off all shoots above the second wire but allowing the lower ones to 

 grow as they please in order to produce the bearing vines for the next 

 year. Generally I leave but two bunches of fruit on each shoot, rarely 

 three, and the pinching is done mostly one eye above the upper bunch, 

 which should be done by hand only and in proper time, as long as the 

 tips are crisp and break easily. If this work is delayed the shoots harden 

 soon, then the pinching is so severe on your fingers that you will be com- 

 pelled to use a knife or shear, which should be avoided, as the contact 

 of steel with the sap of the tender shoots seems to act on them as a poison, 

 checking the growth too severely, according to information received 

 from the well known vineyardist, Mr. Riehl, near Alton, 111. My own 

 observations lead me to believe that this is true and not merely imagina- 

 tion. 



"While the vineyard is blooming all work in it ceases until the fruit 

 has fairly set and the grapes are well developed. Then in June the 

 mellow, loose ground is plowed on, i. e., towards the vines. If necessary 

 the soil will again be stirred up- shallow in July with the cultivator, and 

 I am through with cultivating for this year's crop. Late in fall, about 

 l^ovember, the plow will throw two furrows towards the hills, leaving 

 the soil in a rough condition that Jack Frost may more easily perform 

 his subtle work in breaking up the elements of the soil to nourish the 

 vines during the summer season. 



The pinching off or breaking out of the secondary sprouts or suckers 

 starting from the axes of the leaves on the bearing shoots (called "gaizen'^ 

 in German) I have discarded long ago for several reasons. The gain on 

 fruit (if a gain really is the result) does not repay for the immense 

 amount of labor involved. The grape will ripen in the shade of its 

 leaves, and the many sunburned grapes which I have seen in my own 

 and many other vineyards stripped of their foliage induced me to let 

 nature take care of itself. Scientists tell us that these secondary sprouts 

 or "gaizen" assist to develop the character of the fruit to perfection and 

 their full growth quite necessary to give aroma and bouquet to the wine 

 made therefrom. In France lately experiments have been made to draw 

 this extract directly from the leaves, and by adding it to the grape juice 

 is greatly improving the quality of tlie wine. The long, tender shoots 



