THIRD, FOURTH, AND FIFTH, YEARS. 1 5 



of the vital principle ; on the contrary, we be 

 lieve that all checks are injurious, and just in 

 proportion to their violence. Our object is not 

 to check action, but to convert it all to use, 

 with as little loss as possible ; to concentrate it, 

 in short, upon those parts that are to produce 

 useful results, such as the fruit and buds. To 

 check the growth of the vine at this time, 

 would be like spending our labor and skill to 

 collect its vital forces, and then, just as they 

 were ready to perform their allotted office, to 

 take the readiest means to destroy them. That 

 summer pruning, or pinching, as generally per 

 formed in the vineyard, does check the vital 

 force, and inflict more or less injury, there can 

 be no doubt; but if summer pruning is per 

 formed at the right time, and in a proper man 

 ner, it is an exceedingly useful operation, and 

 almost indispensable to the production of the 

 best results. If we should allow this cane to 

 grow five or six feet long, and then cut or break 

 off two or three feet of it, as is commonly done, 

 we should undoubtedly do great violence to 

 the vitality of the vine ; but if we pinch out the 

 extreme end, the loss amounts to almost noth 

 ing. There is no interruption to the action of 

 the plant ; the vital force that would have gone 



