296 VINE 



strength enough to produce laterals, they should be rubbed 

 out, and the shoot tied to a small stake, by which means it 

 will gain firmness, and the admission of the sun and air to 

 the shoot will prepare it to bear the frost of the fall, and 

 prevent its imbibing the moisture which it would other 

 wise be subject to, when covered with earth in the winter. 

 By the first of November the shoots may be cut down to 

 two eyes, and by the middle of the month, if it be dry 

 weather, they may be covered over with earth, forming a 

 slope to cast off the wet and prevent the rains from pene- 

 trating as the drier the plant is kept during the winter, in 

 the better state it will be in the succeeding spring. 



The 2d year. The plants should not be uncovered in 

 this climate till the middle of April. Those from the nur- 

 sery should now be transplanted to the places where they 

 are to remain ; a shoot from each eye should be permitted 

 to push, but as soon as you have ascertained which of the 

 two will be the strongest and the best situated, you will 

 preserve that, and rub out the other. The shoot preserved 

 you will be careful to tie up to a small stake, as soon as it 

 has length enough for this purpose, to prevent its being 

 broken by the wind or other casualty. During the summer, 

 the laterals from the four or five lowest buds must be rub- 

 bed out, and the shoot be carefully protected by being kept 

 tied every eight or ten inches. 



The next fall you may cut this shoot down to two buds, 

 (not counting the one in the crotch of the plant between 

 the old and new wood,) and cover over as before. 



The 3d year. You will allow shoots to push from both 

 the eyes, and suffer them to grow, taking care of them as 

 recommended above ; but the bud in the crotch must be 

 rubbed out. This year you must rub out the laterals from 

 the five lowest buds, and nip in the other laterals to one 

 eye, so that, if the plant grows luxuriantly, the sap may burst 

 from the buds of the laterals, and not from those of the 

 main branch, as it would do if the vine was dressed too 

 close. Be carefol to keep the branches tied up, that they 

 may not be broken. In November, .cut down the two 

 branches as follows : the most feeble of the two, to two 

 buds, to produce wood branches the succeeding season ; 

 and the strongest to three buds, for fruit branches, and 

 cover them as usual. 



The 4th year. If you keep your vines properly dressed, 

 you may have your first fruits without injury to your plants. 

 After this, the system to be pursued must depend on the 



