456 PRUNING AND TRAINING THE VINE. 



this rule, and it will be better to take out a few berries later in the 

 season than have a loose straggling bunch. 



All this time we have been devoting our attention to the crop, and 

 now we must have a peep at the young vines that were cut down, and 

 from which two shoots have been carried to the top of the house. These 

 have had their lateral shoots regularly stopped, and are fine handsome 

 canes, nearly an inch in diameter. Encourage the ripening process by 

 every means in your power, and do not be satisfied until, on cutting 

 the top of the vine, you find the pith in the centre has almost disap- 

 peared. This is the true test of perfect ripening, and with such wood 

 fine grapes are almost certain. 



If the season should be dry, twice or thrice during the brightest 

 weather the outside border must receive a drenching of warm weak 

 manure-water, and the inside border, according as the soil may be 

 heavy or light, may receive at five or six separate waterings eighteen 

 to twenty-four inches of water, always using it warm, and if manure- 

 water, let it be weak. 



One of our vines has carried a crop of fruit, and the other made 

 two shoots from the starting point to the top of the rafter ; and the 

 next consideration is, what shall we do with them next year ? Now it 

 is quite certain that if the young fruiting vine has been fairly used 

 that is, if it has not been overcropped, a fault not unusual it will 

 carry a second crop, perhaps not quite so good as in the preceding year, 

 but still good enough for a reason why the permanent vines should not 

 be allowed to bear a crop until the fourth season after planting. Thus, 

 then, the fruiting vines may have their leading shoots shortened to 

 about three feet, and the side branches may be cut to the best eye or 

 bud, because, as the object is to obtain good bunches of fruit, and as 

 the vines will be cut out altogether at the end of the season, systematic 

 training is of no consequence. Hence the advantage of planting dupli- 

 cate vines ; it enables you to leave the permanent ones until such time 

 as they get thoroughly established a point of great importance in their 

 welfare. Those vines will have made two shoots, each reaching per- 

 haps to the top of the house, and these will have to be shortened back 

 so as to form the foundation of the permanent plants. For that purpose 

 the branches will be laid down horizontally, parallel with the wall 

 plate of the house, and each will be shortened to five feet in length. 

 At the distance of eighteen inches from the centre on each side, a 

 shoot will be taken up to form permanent rods, and at three feet from 

 these two more rods will be taken up for the same purpose ; while the 

 leading bud upon each branch may be permitted to grow to the length 

 of six feet or more. The three shoots being secured upon each of the 

 horizontal branches to form the permanent rods, the fruit bunches must 

 be removed from them directly ; but if from the secondary shoots it is 

 desired to take a few bunches, that may be done ; but certainly not 

 more than six medium or four good-sized bunches should be taken ; 

 and, to speak the truth, the vine will be much benefited if those 

 are not taken. If such a determination should be arrived at, 

 then remove the bunches as fast as they show, stopping these secondary 



