454 PRUNING AND TRAINING THE VINE. 



Watering at the root will have to be governed by circumstances, 

 such as the dryness of the situation and the influence of the sun. With 

 a well-formed border properly mulched, watering twice in the season 

 say in the end of June and early part of August will be quite suffi- 

 cient ; but let these be really waterings that is, use water at the 

 proper temperature, and give sufficient each time to saturate the soil 

 wherever the roots have penetrated. After this last watering, and 

 when the vines have reached the top of the house or the distance you 

 intend them to fill the first season, begin gradually to ripen the wood 

 by giving more air, so as to allow a free circulation both day and 

 night. The laterals which have been stopped at the first or second 

 joint may be allowed to ramble, and the plant must be encouraged to 

 thoroughly mature its growth, so as to make the young shoot as firm 

 and hard as possible. This accomplished by the end of August, leave 

 the vines to themselves for the remainder of the season, merely pro- 

 tecting them from early and severe frost. With a properly ripened 

 vine, the leaves should hang on until they attain a golden yellow hue, and 

 then it is a sign of maturity if the leaves drop leaving the petiole still 

 adhering to the young shoot. Through the winter the young vines 

 may be left to the care of nature ; but we do not like to expose them 

 to atmospheric changes, and therefore we should protect them from 

 rain, snow, or severe frost. A slight frost after the leaves have fallen 

 will not injure the canes. 



In the second season pruning should take place not later than the 

 middle of January, and then, if two vines have been planted in each 

 space, the weakest may be cut down to the bottom of the rafter, and 

 the other to half, or if very strong to two-thirds, of its length. This, 

 according to its strength, will carry four to six, or if strong ten bunches 

 of grapes; while the one that has been cut down will produce two 

 shoots, which will be trained right and left of the fruiting plant. The 

 vines should not be started in the second season earlier than from the end 

 of February to the middle of March, and then as gradually as possible. 

 Begin by giving sufficient heat to maintain a temperature of 45 to 50 

 for the first fortnight, and increase the temperature gradually two or 

 three degrees weekly until it gets up to 60, and at that, with an 

 increase of 10 to 15 by sun heat, keep the temperature until the 

 leaves begin to show. Then give the inside border a soaking of weak 

 manure-water at 80 to 85, and for this purpose water equal to a 

 rainfall of three or four inches over the whole surface should be given. 

 Less than that will be a mere driblet, and will not answer the purpose 

 intended, that of ensuring moisture to the roots, and at the same time 

 considerable warmth. After this the young shoots will progress with 

 ^reat rapidity ; and when the earliest leaves are fairly developed, say 

 two or three inches across, go over the plants and remove the super- 

 fluous shoots, retaining such only as may be necessary to furnish the 

 vine with fruit and make wood for a succeeding crop. As a rule, if 

 for the spur system of pruning of which we do not approve, for reasons 

 which will be explained in the proper place shoots left at a foot apart 

 all up the vine will be enough for that purpose, of course leaving the 



