130 HARDY GEAPES. 



time, and until it reaches a suitable support, when it stretches 

 away in a horizontal direction, covering everything within its 

 reach. 



In preparing the treUis for this system of training, it is not 

 VLBual to insert the posts in the ground at all, but merely to place 

 them on the surface, with a flat stone under the foot. These 

 posts are usually made seven feet in length, placed at a distance of 

 six feet apart, and horizontal bars nailed upon the top, reaching 

 along the posts in two directions, at right angles to each other, 

 and then braces are nailed from the posts to the horizontal bars. 

 In this way a framework is formed upon the top of the posts, 

 which keeps them in an upright position, and strips are nailed 

 across upon these horizontal bars so as to form a sufficient support 

 for the vines. In this way the entire weight of the treUis, and of 

 the vines growing upon it, rests upon the top of the posts, and 

 being at an elevation of seven feet from the surface of the ground, 

 admits of cultivation underneath in every direction, and dispenses 

 entirely with the use of wires. Besides, there is no rotting off 

 of posts, no strain upon post or nail, no heaving out of place by 

 the frost, nor blowing down by the wind. 



The vines are trained during the summer of the second year 

 to the top of this trellis, by tying them to the temporary stakes 

 planted near them ; and when they reach the horizontal part, are 

 trained along the horizontal bars. If the vines are healthy and 

 vigorous, they will make considerable growth along the horizontal 

 bars during this siinimer, and they are allowed to make all the 

 growth they wiU. It will be borne in mind that up to the 

 present time the treatment of the vine has been the same as that 

 already described ; during the first year it was trained as a single 

 cane, in the spring of the second year it was cut back to two 

 eyes and two canes allowed to gi'ow, and these trained up to 

 and on to the horizontal trellis. 



In the spring of the third year each of these two canes is cut 

 back to about a foot below the horizontal trellis, and four canes 

 are led up on to the trellis, tAvo from each cane. These four 



