GRAPE VINES UNDER GLASS. 257 



THE SECOND SEASON 



after planting, this single shoot or cane should be cut 

 down to the foot of the rafter, from which a shoot will be 

 allowed to grow as on the previous season. Vines are not 

 allowed to fruit in their first year's growth. When the 

 vines, however, are strong and well ripened, instead of 

 cutting them down as above stated, I have adopted the 

 following plan of fruiting the shoot, with good success : 



On well-grown vines the shoot or cane will be well 

 ripened, 7 or 8 feet from bottom of the rafter ; this shoot 

 is "layered" by being twisted once round (in order to 

 check the flow of sap), in a 12-inch pot, which is filled up 

 with vine border compost ; roots will be emitted from this 

 "layer" sufiicient to sustain and mature the fruit, and 

 as good a shoot will grow from below the layer as if it 

 had been cut down, as is usually done ; and if the young 

 cane has been well matured the previous season, a good 

 crop will be secured with no injury to the part of the 

 vine relied on for permanent use. The layer after fruit- 

 ing may be thrown away or cut off and used as a plant. 



THE THIRD SEASON. 



At the pruning of the ripe wood, instead of cutting the 

 vine down to a third of its length, or five feet on a fifteen 

 foot rafter, I think it preferable to leave two-thirds, and 

 if the vine is strong and well matured it will break freely, 

 but allow it to bear only a light crop. By doing this, I 

 have found the strength of the vine better equalized, as 

 a strong vine when shortened to five feet is apt to make a 

 stronger growth on the following season, leaving the 

 lower part comparatively weak. 



THE FOURTH SEASON 



a full crop may be taken, which should be about 1 8 or 

 20 Ib. to each rafter of 15 feet in length. 



