ON PRUNING. 337 



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support of the plant. When the eyes thus left grow, 

 displace the weakest two, leaving the strongest for the 

 permanent plant. We have seen old vines laid down in. 

 this manner for the distance of thirty feet, and, in two 

 years, formed plants of most astonishing vigour and pro- 

 duction. If the vine has been grown in a pot, shake the 

 ball of earth from the roots, among which place, with care, 

 new and fresh soil, taking the plant and giving it several 

 shakes to settle it well about the roots, which will encou- 

 rage the plant to put forth new roots for its farther support. 

 Transplanting should always be done in dry and mild 

 weather, and when the soil is mellow and free. During 

 the removal the roots must be carefully kept from expo- 

 sure ; the atmosphere would dry up their tender extremi- 

 ties, and cause much injury ; and, when vines are brought 

 from a distance, this precaution ought to be carefully put 

 in practice. Its first season's growth should be confined 

 to one stem only, carefully cutting off all lateral shoots 

 within one eye of the main shoot, as directed on the sub- 

 ject of propagation. 



ON PRUNING. 



The first year's growth of a transplanted vine should, in 

 November, be cut down within four inches of the ground, 

 and, on the appearance, cover the plant with about three 

 inches of stable litter, allowing it to remain in this state till 

 the middle of March. The plant will now push strongly, 

 and two of the best shoots should be trained their full length 

 during summer, carefully nipping off tendrils and laterals, 

 and, at all times, securing the shoots from the effects of 

 high winds. If walls are used for training, there should 

 be slats fixed about one inch from the wall to tie the shoots 

 thereto, using soft material for the purpose of tying : if the 

 vines should show fruit, cut it off. 



Having the previous season retained two well-grown 

 shoots from near the surface of the ground, you will now, 

 in November, tie these in a horizontal position, about six 

 or eight inches above the surface, cutting them at nearly 

 two feet distance from the main stem. In the following 

 month, February, when the weather is mild, displace 



