ON PRUNING. 339 



of training vines to get them up to the top of arbours, &c., 

 cannot be done with fine vines without risk. As we have 

 already said, it may and will da with our native kinds, but 

 no other. The general system of spur-pruning has many 

 advantages in in-door culture, but does not at all agree 

 with growing grapes in the open air. Our limits do not 

 admit of giving in detail our reasons for so saying, but 

 those who doubt may go on in the old way, giving the 

 system herein advised a trial, with one plant only, and we 

 guarantee that in less than five years their old vines are 

 headed down to the stump, to begin on a system that yearly 

 renews itself, and can be perpetuated for ages on the same 

 vine, which may be said to " renew its youth every year." 

 In fact, it recommends itself by simplicity by the small 

 number of wounds annually made by the clear and hand- 

 some appearance of the vine, and by the great ease with 

 which it is managed its occupying but a small space. 

 We therefore conclude this subject with the following few 

 general rules : Use a knife of the best description, and let 

 it be perfectly sharp ; cut always upward and in a sloping 

 direction, always leave about an inch of blank wood beyond 

 a terminal bud, and let the cut be on the opposite side of 

 the bud. In pruning out an old branch, cut it even with 

 the parent limb, that the wound may quickly heal. Never 

 prune in frosty weather, nor in the months of March, 

 April, or May. Let the general fall pruning take place 

 about the end of October or first of November; after which, 

 stir up the ground, and let a good coating of fresh stable 

 manure be laid thereon, which will both protect the roots 

 that are near the surface, and also enrich the soil; but if 

 stable manure cannot be procured, leaves from the woods 

 are an excellent substitute, which, after decomposition, 

 form a vegetable manure very enriching, and one very 

 congenial to the vine; this being done, nothing more is 

 required till the first of March, when the roughest must be 

 removed, and the decomposed particles forked into the 

 borders. It may be proper to state, that in more northern 

 latitudes and greater altitudes than Philadelphia, it will be 

 necessary to lay down the vines after pruning, during 

 winter, and give them a light covering of litter, straw, 

 leaves, or mats, which will completely protect them from 

 the severest frost ; although it is not altogether the severity 

 28* 



