FARMER'S ASSISTANT. 405 



In the fourth year, training again two branches from each 

 trained branch of the prt-vious year, you will have eight 

 branches to each vine. Y^u, therefore-, proceed as before 

 in humbling the vine, and pioporuoning its quantity of fruit 

 to its ability to bear; and rtmember not to let the vines 

 bear all the Iruit they put forth ; until they are lully able to 

 do it, without injury to them afterwards. 



All this time, the ground of the vineyard is constantly to 

 be kept light and mellow, and perfectly clear of weeds and 

 grass For this purpose, straw, chaff, flax-shives, and every 

 thing < f the kind is to be carried on, and spread over the 

 ground, to keep it mellow and moist, and to prevent its 

 washing Observing this the first four years, greatly for- 

 wards tne vines, and at the same time prepares them for 

 good crops afterwards; nor should the practice be after- 

 wards wholly discontinued. 



In planting a vineyard, it is also requisite to have a nur- 

 sery of the vines at the same time, to supply those which 

 may die when planted out. The ground of the nursery 

 should not be so rich as that of the vineyard ; it should be 

 kept clear of weeds and well hoed ; and it should be planted 

 pretty thickly, in order that the roots do not extend too 

 much. 



A vineyard of an acre should contain but two sorts of 

 grapes, and one of two acres should not generally contain 

 more than four sorts. Every kind of grape should be made 

 into wine by itself, and not mixed with others. 



The vine, where the climate and soil is most suitable, 

 will grow to a prodigious size, and live a surprising length 

 of years. Strabo speaks of a vine which was twelve feet in 

 circumference; and Pliny also mentions one which was six 

 hundred years old ! , In the western parts of this State, and 

 elsewhere in that direction, I have seen them, where, from 

 the size of the trees on which they were supported, and 

 they must have grown up with the trees, they could not be 

 less than a hundred years old. 



Mr. Johnson observes, that, from the prices which grapes 

 have been sold for in our largest cities, the income of an 

 acre of vineyard would amount to six hundred dollars ; but, 

 perhaps, this calculation is rather too large. Be this as it 

 may, it is certain that their cultivation, whether they are to 

 be made into wine, or to be picked, and sent into our cities, 

 or elsewhere, for sale, must undoubtedly be profitable. 



The method of preserving grapes to send abroad, is to 

 pack them up in dry saw-dust or bran ; and in that situation 

 they may be exported, if they should not be wanted at 

 home, with the same facility and safety that they are at pre- 

 sent sent from other Countries into this, for sale. Probably 

 they ought to be put up a little before they are fully ripe. 



