'*W 82 CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 



iUelf, select six or eiijlit of the finest lookini^ clusters on each vine, and jiinch off all 

 the rest at once. Ket-p the house closed and still during the time the fruit is in blos- 

 som, and not touch the vine with water until the fruit has set. As soon as this is 

 completed, pinch oti' the end of the spur one inch above the next eye from the fruit, 

 and all the others, except the leading shoot at the top, which you of course tie up to 

 a wire trellis. 



June 1st, remove all the rough and loose manure from the border, and fork in the 

 remainder. June 10th, mulch the border with tan bark, about two inches thick, to 

 keep the roots in an equal temperature and prevent the sun from operating too pow- 

 erfully upon them. Care should be taken that there be at no time a sudden change 

 in the house ; open by degrees, and close in the same manner. If the leaf turns 

 yellow, examine the glass ; there is probably a defective light of glass, wliich draws 

 the sun and scorches the vines. If the glass is defective, wash it on the inside with a 

 preparation of whiting and boiled oil and turpentine. Never syringe the vines when 

 the sun shines upon them ; get up the moisture by keeping the floor wet. 



"When you prune the old wood of a vine, (which may be done without detriment, 

 or danger of its bleeding, any time after the 1st of July,) use a very sharp pruning 

 knife, and make one smooth, straight cut. The leading ones must be stopped soon 

 after they reach the top of the house ; but leave two or three laterals, to keep the sap 

 in motion, which are to be stopped at intervals of two or three days. Pinch off all 

 tendrils, and keep the whole strength of the vine in as small a compass as possible ; 

 but never remove the leaves from the vine, or you will destroy the flavor of your fruit. 

 If you require more light, spread out the spur and tie it to the trellis. There should 

 be at least one leaf between the fruit and the sun. Be sure and give plenty of air and 

 room to the clusters, that they may get perfectly ripe, or the flavor will be destroyed. 

 Black Hamburgh should be black, not red, as is frequently the case, from being kept 

 too close and confined, and not open to the air, as they should be. 



In selecting your fruit, care should be taken to have it equally distributed over the 

 vines. This will add very much to the appearance of the house as the fruit progresses. 



Tie all the spurs to the trellis as soon as the fruit has set, water regularly, sprinkle 

 with sulphur the same as last year. When the fruit has attained the size of a small 

 pea, commence to thin out, always taking the smallest berries. If you want large 

 berries, you must thin out severely ; take two out of five berries ; the strength will 

 enter those that are left, and cause these to grow beyond your expectations. 



Then commence to shoulder or tie up the clusters, and spread them out so that the 

 air will pass freely through the clusters, and ease the main stem. After the fruit 

 begins to color, avoid all handling. If you touch the fruit, it will destroy its beauty, 

 and cause it to rust. If it is necessary to handle it after this stage, use a glove. 



Give the vinery plenty of air, plenty of heat, and plenty of moisture. Remember 

 that large fruit and 1 rge clusters are the objects to be attained. 



This is the manner in which I have treated my vines for the last three years, and 

 never have had any trouble from rot, rust, insect, shriveling, or shrinking ; and in 

 seventeen months from the time the vines were planted, I took the second premium 



