PRUNING VfNES IN THE FALL. 



533 



villa-like aspect which short drives of this 

 kind often convey, and carries with it a 

 greater idea of impoftaace. Of course, 

 much depends upon the style of the building- 

 to which it leads, but we must leave this 

 question to those more^ competent to dis- 

 cuss it. 



Much the same thing may be said about 

 breadth as has been said about .length. 

 Proportion, again, should be strictly ob- 

 served, and the longer the avenue the wider 

 (in moderation) it should be. A great deal, 

 however, depends here upon the style of the 

 approach. In many places a wide sweep of 

 closely-cut lawn borders the the drive on 

 either side, and the avenue in this case 

 merely becomes the background to the turf, 

 and fulfils much the same function as a tall 

 hedge, and loses its more characteristic ap- 

 pearance. But in avenues of the usual kind, 



a distance between the two rows of more 

 than 40 vafds in long, or 20 to 30 yards in 

 short avflnues, .tends to dwarf the trees and 

 reduce the desired effect. 



With, too narrow a margin, the trees, if 

 at all of a spreading character, are apt to 

 meet overhead, and the effect, though pleas- 

 ing enough in its way, is not exactly what 

 is Ipoked for in an avenue. No hard-and- 

 fast rule seems to have been observed in the 

 past as to either the length or width of ave- 

 nues, for we find the latter yarying to as 

 great an extent as the former ; but much of 

 this is probably due to the fact that in aven- 

 ues, as in many other things, the real object 

 in view is not very clear to those engaged 

 in carrying out the work. 



A. C. Forbes, 

 in Gardeners' Chronicle. 



PRUNING VINES IN THE FALL 



The rampant, straggling growth of vines, 

 which so many porches and other places 

 display at this season of the year, is often 

 left untouched until spring, detracting from 

 the neat appearance which is so desirable. 

 There is no necessity to leave the work of 

 pruning till spring as most every one does. 

 The work done late in the fall or in early 

 winter would make the premises much pret- 

 tier. 



In my own case I do not prune the honey- 

 suckle nor the akebia at this time, as both 

 are very nearly evergreen here, and it does 

 please me so to see the green foliage about 

 the house in the winter season. But many 

 of the shoots are brought into position, to 

 keep up a nice appearance through the win- 

 ter. These two vines are pruned in spring. 

 1 have read that the akebia should not be 

 pruned in spring, as it would bleed to death. 

 My vine on my porch has been pruned every 



spring since planted several years ago now, 

 and it could not be in better shape than it is 



Deciduous vines of all kinds are as well 

 pruned now, besides for the reasons men- 

 tioned as in the early spring. It will permit 

 of a little digression to say here that the 

 early flowering jasmine should be planted on 

 the northern side of a dwelling, or the flowers 

 come so early that they are nearly always 

 caught in a late frost. 



The new vine from Japan, Vitis cotgnetice, 

 said to be of brilliant colored foliage in au- 

 tumn in its native country, is being much 

 planted here now. So far the foliage is but 

 little better than that of a Concord grape, 

 which it rnuch resembles in other respects, 

 minus the fruit, of which none has yet ap- 

 peared. But I have hopes that as it gets 

 age and makes strong canes, color may 

 come to the leaves. Joseph Meehan. 



in Country Gentleman. 



