THE GRAPE. 249 



tawba are so rampant in their growth, when young, that the in- 

 dulgent and gratified cultivator is but too apt to allow them to 

 cover a large space. Experience, however, has convinced us 

 that this is an error. For two or three seasons, vines of great 

 size will produce enormous crops,* but they soon exhaust the 

 supply of nourishment at hand, (which, indeed, it is difficult to 

 supply again,) the vine becomes filled with useless, old wood, 

 and speedily becomes unfruitful and worthless. About 6 or 8 

 feet apart we have found to be the best distance at which to plant 

 the native grapes. Assuming the trellis to be 8 feet high, then 

 each vine will extend either way 3 or 4 feet, covering a space 8 

 feet square. In this form, the roots and branches extending but 

 a short distance, they may be kept in high vigour, and a state 

 of constant productiveness, for a great length of time. 



The system of pruning and training these grapes generally 

 pursued is the upright mode, with the spur mode of training. 

 The first seasons' growth of a newly planted vine is cut back 

 to two buds the ensuing fall or spring. These two buds are 

 allowed to form two upright shoots the next summer, which, at 

 the end of the season, are brought down to a horizontal position, 

 and fastened each way to the lower horizontal rail 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 sprung, and a new lateral producing fruit will an- 

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



After several years bearing, if it is found that the grapes fail 

 in size or flavour, the vines should be cut down to the main 

 horizontal shoots at the bottom of the trellis. They will then 

 speedily make a new set of upright shoots which will produce 

 very abundantly, as at first. 



It cannot be denied that the renewal system of training, (see 

 page 221,) is certain of yielding always the largest and finest 

 fruit, though not so large a crop as half the surface of the vine 

 is every year occupied with young wood, to take the place of 

 that annually cut out. 



What we have already stated, in page 222, respecting pruning 

 will apply equally well here. If the vine is fully exposed to the 



* An old vine of the Isabella, still standing in these gardens, has produced 3,000 

 clusters of grapes in a year 



