86 FRUIT GARDEN. 



est shoot within two or three feet of the past season's 

 growth, cutting the weakest shoot to within one eye of 

 the preceding season's growth. The strongest stem may 

 have ten or twelve eyes all producing fruit, of which one 

 bunch may be allowed to each eye. The weakest branch 

 left without any fruit may be permitted to grow as much 

 as it will. The second winter cut back the strong shoot 

 to within two eyes of the old wood, and allow one shoot to 

 grow from it. One shoot is to be trained without fruit for 

 next season's crop. Four shoots may be finally left on the 

 vine, one-half of which may be allowed to bear every year, 

 the other two being cut back for fruiting the following 

 season. This is commonly termed the long cane system, 

 and is regarded as the most simple and very best method of 

 pruning followed in the United States. 



Pruning consists of winter pruning and summer prun- 

 ing, operations very different from each other. "What is 

 commonly styled the Spur system of training and pruning 

 is managed as follows : Allow each stem to extend the 

 whole height of the house, and if the first year it does not 

 attain the size of three inches round, it is to be cut back 

 and allowed another year's growth. Should it attain more 

 than three inches in circumference, it must be regarded as 

 too strong, and cut down to within about four feet of the 

 old wood. Young spurs will put out to bear fruit, and 

 one bunch may be taken from each, the growth of each spur 

 being stopped two eyes above the bunches. These spurs 

 are cut back at each winter pruning, so as to leave two or 

 three eyes on each. These again sending out spurs, ono 

 bunch is to be taken from each, and so continue from year 

 to year. Never take more than one bunch from a single 

 eye. 



Hoare, in his excellent treatise upon the vine, has re- 



