22 ON TRAINING AND PRUNING. 



spring, though not so copiously. The best preventive is 

 timely or early pruning in the spring, and not pruning until 

 the wood is thoroughly ripe in autumn. 



With respect to the manner in which vines, and some 

 particular kinds of trees, should be trained, opinions are at 

 variance. Some advise training the shoots in a straight and 

 direct manner, others in a horizontal manner, and others 

 again in a serpentine form, &c. If vines be trained on low 

 walls or trellises, the horizontal or zigzag manner of training* 

 may be adopted. Horizontal training is that in which from 

 a main stem, lateral branches are led out horizontally on 

 each side. 



It has been remarked, that in order to be a good trainer 

 of vines, a man must have some forethought, and be capable 

 of making his selection, as the plants shoot. He must pre- 

 determine how he shall prune, and where he shall cut at the 

 end of the season ; and so, as it were, fashion the plants to 

 his mind. He has this more effectually in his power, with 

 respect to the vine, than any other fruit tree, on account of 

 its rapid growth and docility. 



In pruning vines, cut generally two inches above the bud. 

 Some cut nearer, even as near as half an inch, which is apt 

 to weaken the shoot of next season, and sometimes to pre- 

 vent its vegetating at all, the buds being very susceptible of 

 injury, on account of the soft and spongy nature of the wood. 

 In cutting out old wood, be careful to cut in a sloping direc- 

 tion, and to smooth the edges of the wood, in order to pre- 

 vent its being injured by moisture. The pruning being 

 finished, let the loose, shreddy, outward rind on the old wood 

 be carefully peeled off, observing not to injure the sound 

 bark, and clear the trellis of branches, leaves, tendrils, &c. 

 Let the shoots and branches afterward be regularly laid in, 

 at the distance above specified, particularly the young shoots 

 that are expected to bear next season. As to others, it is 

 not so material how near the young shoots be placed to the 

 old, even though they sometimes cross them. Choose 



