312 PRINCIPLES OF GARDENING. [CH. IX. 



of the most healthy trees, they should not be 

 nearer than six inches. This enforcement of the 

 importance of thinning fruit, is not intended to be 

 confined to the two trees specified; it is equally 

 important to be attended to in all other finiit-bearers, 

 but especially the vine, apricot, apple, and pear. It 

 should be done with a bold, fearless hand — and the 

 perfection of that which is allowed to remain will 

 amply reward the grower in the harvest time for 

 the apparent sacrifice now made. But he will not 

 reap his reward only in this year ; for the trees thus 

 kept unweakened by over-production, will be able to 

 ripen their wood and deposit that store of inspis- 

 sated sap in their vessels, so absolutely necessary 

 for their fniitfulness next season. 



The berries of the grape-vine are best thinned 

 from the branches with a sharp-pointed pair of 

 scissors, care being taken to remove the smallest 

 berries. This increases the weight and excellence 

 of the bunches, for two berries will always outweigh 

 four grown on the same branchlet of a bunch, 

 besides being far handsomer, and having more juice 

 as compared with the skins. The average weight of 

 the bunches on a ^ine may be taken, when ripe, at 

 half a pound each, and with this data it is easy to 

 carry into practice Mr. Clement Hoare's excellent 

 rule for proportioning the crop to the size of the 

 vine. 



