118 OPEN AIR GRAPE CULTURE. 



stopped, the last bud on all these shoots, will, no 

 doubt, burst and form a leader, which will grow nearly 

 as vigorously as if the terminal bud had not been 

 removed. It will, therefore, be necessary to go over 

 all these vines again as soon as the fruit is set, and 

 repeat the same operation. At this time, also, the 

 fruit should be thinned, which, for vineyard culture, 

 consists in the removal of all weak, ill-formed 

 bunches, some even recommending the removal of 

 the lower part of all the bunches. 



When, however, extra fine bunches are desired, 

 we prefer the plan usually adopted in hot-house 

 culture, which consists in removing at least one 

 half the berries from every bunch the largest and 

 finest being, of course, left. This operation is best 

 performed when the grapes are the size of peas, but 

 by many it will be deemed too minute and laborious 

 an operation for vineyard practice.. 



While doing this, it will also be proper to remove 

 or extirpate all shoots which either have not fruit, 

 or are not wanted for next year s canes.. 



During the growing season it will be necessary to 

 look over the vines, at intervals of two or three 

 weeks, stopping the fruiting shoots, removing suck 

 ers, and pinching out laterals at the second eye. The 

 ground should also be kept loose and mellow, and all 

 the operations of the vineyard be carried on, with as 



