236 OPEN ATB GRAPE CULTURE. 



least three feet, or even three feet six inches, distant 

 from each other, when winter pruned. This allows 

 just sufficient room for the fruit-bearing laterals and 

 a young rod to come up between every two bearers. 

 This young rod, of course, to be the bearer of laterals 

 the following year : 



"Thus no vines cultivated on any other system are 

 so capable of being rung, without the disadvantage 

 of killing or losing the future useful part of the tree, 

 because on Hoare's long-rod system, the whole of 

 the previous years, bearers will have to be cut entirely 

 away. 



"The very right time to perform the ringing is 

 just after the berries are all set, or have attained the 

 the size of No. 2 shot, or small peas. In ringing, cut, 

 with a sharp knife, clean round the branch between 

 two joints. Or, if you are going to ring the laterals 

 carrying the fruit, leave either two or three buds and 

 leaves beyond the main stem, and make the ring just 

 in the middle, between the third and fourth leaves, 

 or joints. As I said before, make two cuts clean 

 through the bark, quite down into the wood, one inch 

 apart, and remove the bark clean away, all round 

 the branch or lateral. By this means, if you are in 

 the habit of spur pruning, the hinder buds are left all 

 right, to spur back the following ye^r. If you prune 

 upon the long-rod system, you may ring the rod just 



