GRAPES. 197 



which, at the end of the season, are brought down to a hori- 

 zontal position, and fastened each way to the lower horizon- 

 tal rails of the trellis, being shortened at the distance of three 

 or four feet from the root, or as far each side as the plant 

 is wished to extend. The next season, upright shoots are 

 allowed to grow one foot apart, and these, as soon as they 

 reach the top of the trellis, are also stopped. The next year, 

 the trellis being filled with the vines, a set of lateral shoots 

 will be produced from the upright leaders, with from one to 

 three bunches upon each, which will be the first crop. The 

 vine is now perfect, and, in the spur mode of pruning, it is 

 only necessary at the close of every season, that is, at the 

 autumnal or winter pruning, to cut back these lateral shoots 

 or fruit spurs to within an inch of the upright shoot from 

 which they spring, and a new lateral producing fruit will an- 

 nually supply its place, to be again cut out at the winter 

 pruning." If vines are not kept back by pruning, they "soon 

 exhaust their vigor in the first few years. Old vines, whose 

 fruit has diminished in size and flavor, may be cut down to 

 the lower shoots of the trellis. The authority just quoted 

 has remarked, that his experience was that six or eight feet 

 was the distance at which to plant the native grapes. " As- 

 suming," he says, " the trellis to be eight feet high, then each 

 vine will extend either way three or four feet, covering a 

 space eight feet square. In this form, the roots and branches 

 extending but a short distance, they may be kept in high 

 vigor, and a state of constant productiveness, for a great 

 length of time." 



Prune grapes a month before vegetation commences, or in 

 mild latitudes prune the vines in November. 



The native grapes, though growing in most soils, do best 



in soils which are rather strong and rich. The ground round 



the growing plants should be kept free from weeds and 



stirred lightly on the top, and deeper out of the reach of the 



17* 



