LITERARY AND HORTICULTURAL NOTICES. 



tiful, i3 cut down to two eyes, and is generally used for cuttings. From these two eyes two more 

 shoots are trained, as in the previous year. After all are pruned, and just when the sap begins to 

 flow freely and the vines arc most flexible, the bearing cane is carefully bent round in the form 

 of a hoop, and tied to the stake with willow twigs — one at the bottom, one at the top of the circle, 

 and the third fastens the extremity either to the stake or to the vine below. 



" I am often asked, why this hoop or circle ? The answer is, gradually to retard the current 

 of sap or juice, that each eye may receive an equal share, and prevent its rushing onward to the 

 last eye or bud, which is sure to gain too great a share and to cause a growth too exuberant if 

 trained upward with the stake. 



"The operation of tying is performed with much dexterity by experienced hands, and should 

 always be comijleted before the buds ai'e much expanded, as then they are liable to be broken 

 off. 



"All my hopes and expectations of a crop are now centered in this little circle. If the vinter 

 has not been too severe every eye will shoot, and in a short time show the blossoms, from one to 

 three bunches on each. After the berries are set, my vines are carefully inspected by the vine- 

 dresser, and from ten to fifteen of the largest and most promising bunches are selected, and all 

 the others are pinched off, also all unfruitful shoots that may have pushed out from the circle. 

 I know that many of our vine men allow every bunch to grow for fear of casualtiea This I have 

 proved to be an error. Ten to fifteen bunches, according to the strength of the vine, are more 

 likely to remain on and produce more mature fruit than twenty or more. The vines must not 

 be over-taxed — too heavy a burden can never be carried to the end of the journey — but a light 

 task will be more perfectly executed. 



"Soon after the grapes arc set and about the size of common shot, my rule is to pinch off the 

 ends of the bearing branches, leaving four good leaves for the first bunch of grapes, and two 

 leaves for every other bunch on the same branch — so that if there are three bunches there will 

 be eight leaves to supply their wants. I have tried leaving these bearing branches to grow 

 their full length without pinching them off, but I find they incumber the ground too mnch, 

 without any perceptible improvement of the fruit. After these bearing shoots have been pinched 

 ofi^, especially if done too early, the buds in the axils of their leaves will push out. These I pinch 

 off also when quite young, sometimes permitting one or two leaves to remain on them. The 

 leaves on these laterals do not seem to subserve the wants of the fruit, like the original leaves 

 on the bearing wood, which should be carefully preserved. At the fifth spring-priming the vines 

 will have the two good canes, as in the previous spring, with the addition of the old hoop or 

 circle that bore fruit. This I cut off as close down as possible to the uppermost cane, and the 

 other two canes are managed exactly in the same manner as in the preceding year. I never 

 allow the old stock to rise more than six to ten inches above the ground — the lower they are 

 kept the more healthy they will remain and be much more easily managed. Pruning the vine 

 for wine requires a bold hand and much firmness of purpose, otherwise the old stock will get too 

 high and become incumbered with too many shoots. It must be borne constantly in mind that 

 one single bearing shoot or cane, having from six to ten eyes, will throw out as many bearing 

 branches. From these ten bearing branches it will be easy to select from ten to fifteen bunches. 

 These bunches, in any ordinary favorable season, may be made to yield one quart of good grapes, 

 which will make, at least, a pint of wine. One acre of ground planted three feet by five will 

 contain 2,904 vines. If each vine, then, yields one pint of wine only, there will be 2,904 pints 

 or 363 gallons, from each acre. This is more than the average yield per acre — and for the reason 

 only that we are too greedy — by overloading the vines we fail to obtain a reasonable quantity, 

 as well as a good quality of wine. 



"The above contains most fully my view?, derived from practice and close observation, on 

 the subject of pruning the vine for wine. If you think they contain any hints that will aid 

 beginners, or others, you are at liberty to make such use of them as you may think proper." 



