VINE-CULTURE IN INDIA. 49 
Vine-Culture in India. 
Communicated by JouHnston SHEARER. 
Read 25th April, 1893. 
In a letter, dated 28th January, received from a friend who 
resides in the Punjaub district of Northern India, the following 
account is given of the process of vine-culture as practised in that 
country :— 
“‘T have just been superintending the pruning of my vines and 
roses. We are now going to put new bamboos in the trellises, 
to repair the ravages of the white ants; and when that is done 
we will spread the dry branches of the vines out on the trellises, 
and in about four months we shall expect an abundant crop. 
* The way we cultivate the vine here will be interesting to 
you. After the leaves have come out thickly, they are all cut 
off, and the plants are severely pruned. The roots are then all 
opened out (except the points of the main roots), and exposed to 
the sun and air for some weeks, I should mention that the 
bottom of the trench in which the vines are planted is filled with 
a thick layer of bones pressed hard. When the roots have been 
exposed for a sufficient time, they are liberally treated with 
bullocks’ blood from the slaughter-house, and are filled in with 
sheep-droppings and covered over with earth. The vines are 
then left without water till the fruit begins to form, when it is 
supplied plentifully. The reason for this peculiar treatment is 
that unless the first leaves are cut off, the strength goes into the 
foliage, and few new shoots are thrown out; but many new 
branches are produced by pruning, and the fruit grows on them 
and not on the old wood. If water were supplied before the 
fruit had appeared, the growth would again run to leaves; but 
after the fruit has begun to form, water increases its size and 
lusciousness.” 
