PRUNING GEAPE VINES. 153 



as soon as the fruit is set, excepting the leading 

 shoots, which should not be stopped until the lower 

 part is ripened ; otherwise the main eyes for the next 

 season may be induced to grow prematurely. In 

 autumn the young wood from the spurs is shortened 

 back to one, or at most, to two eyes, and the terminal 

 shoots in proportion to their strength ; but for the 

 strongest wood, from eight to twelve eyes will be found 

 as many as will break well. 



u When commencing to train a young vine in this 

 manner, the side branches should not be brought to 

 the horizontal position at first, but lowered gradually 

 as the number of suitable branches for upright stems 

 are obtained ; by this means they acquire strength 

 faster than if trained horizontally at first." 



It is obvious that this system is nearly the same as 

 the long rod, or renewal system the difference being 

 that instead of taking several of the upper buds on 

 each young cane, we use only one and have a great 

 many canes or spurs. 



The only real advantage to be derived from it (so 

 far as we are able to judge), and that upon which its 

 distinctive features is founded, is that the buds from 

 which the next year's crop is to be obtained are 

 always well ripened. We would, therefore, prefer it 

 to the first system, where the vines are tender, or the 

 climate unfavorable, and deem it of sufficient impor- 



