GRAPES. 279’ 
The vines can then be pruned and arranged in the trenches between the 
rows, where they can readily be covered with stalks or straw for winter. 
The snow collects on the straw, and thus they winter perfectly. 
In pruning, never allow any old or stubborn wood to remain, but man- 
age to have a young sprout ready to take the place of any old cane that 
may need to be removed. Always retain enough fruit-bearing wood to 
fully cover the trellis. Don’t be afraid of too much wood, but make the 
root carry all the young, thrifty wood it can nourish properly. My prun- 
ing consists principally in removing old vines,and cutting back and thin- 
ning out the terminal limbs. I donosummer pruning as I find the excess 
of fruit-bearing wood requires all the foliage I can grow. My cultivation 
consists entirely in mulching the ground heavily with rotted manure, and 
removing all weeds and grass. The above plan will enable the amateur 
to secure most excellent results with a small investment and a minimum 
of labor. 
I have known the early frosts to catch fully one-third the crop, after 
the grapes were set, but in the system above explained, the vines 
were brought up to the sun and moisture, the fibrous roots lay near the 
surface of the ridge and received the full warmth of the sun, and as a re- 
sult, a second crop of bloom was developed in ample time to ripen, which 
I attribute it to the high,shallow system of surface cultivation. I cannot 
lay too much stress upon the manner of growing the wood. When the 
young cane is long enough, tie it up to the first and second wires in suc- 
cession, then pinch off the leaves, beginning next the ground, and follow 
up until your vine is long enough to reach the upper wires; there you may 
permit it to branch, after which?do not allow a single leaf or bud to ap- 
pear below the branches. This keeps the canes small and pliable, and 
also permits a free circulation of airand sunlight beneath the trellis, and 
will be attended with the very best results, if fruit is your desire. I have 
a trellis twenty feet long, seven feet high, and eight feet wide, covered 
with the canes from one root, which has borne over 300 pounds of fruit in 
one season. This is of the Concord variety, but equally good resu]ts may 
be obtained from any other equally good growing variety. 
