HARDY GRAPES. 127 



ther has become mild enough to admit of the work being com- 

 fortably done, it will be the proper time to set about the pruning. 

 The only objection that has been iirged against pruning the grape 

 in the spring is that the vines weep, or, as some say, bleed at 

 the cut, and that this weeping is injurious. If pruned early, as 

 soon as the weather will admit, this weeping wiU not be excessive, 

 and so far fix)m being injurious, is positively beneficial, serving to 

 check the very rampant wood growth so common to most of our 

 American varieties. 



In the spring, then, of the second year the cane should be 

 cut back to two or three eyes, and as soon as the shoots have 

 fairly started, two of the strongest should be selected, and 

 aU the others rubbed off. As the growing shoots lengthen they 

 should be tied to the stake, and the vines treated precisely as in 

 the preceding summer. During this summer preparations should 

 be made for permanently staking and treUising the vineyard. 

 This will involve the necessity of deciding upon the method of 

 training to be pursued. There are many methods practised, but 

 it is not necessary that they should be all described. "We shall 

 content ourselves with two modes of training, either of which 

 has been found to answer well in this climate, and may be 

 known as the upright and the horizontal. The upright trellis is 

 made in the usual form, by planting posts along the row of vines 

 and stretching upon them three horizontal wires. The best wire . 

 is galvanized iron wire, using number ten size for the lowest one, 

 and number twelve for the middle and upper. Each pound of 

 number ten will extend twenty feet in length, and number 

 twelve will reach thirty-three feet. Cedar, oak, or chestnut will 

 make good posts, and the two posts at the ends of the trellis will 

 require bracing to resist the strain of the wires. Some plant the 

 end post very deep and in an obhque position, the top leaning 

 from the row, so that the position of the post shaU be a sufiicient 

 brace. Each vine having been pruned to form two canes, these 

 canes are stretched horizontally along the lowest wire and securely 

 fastened there. These canes ^vUl be the permanent arms of the 



