102 



commencement of its fourth year. It is of the utmost impor- 

 tance that the wood forming these canes should be mature, and 

 the buds well developed, and that they remain uninjured during 

 the winter. In the spring the canes are to be bent in opposite 

 directions, in line with the rows, and retained in the position 

 represented in Fig. 51 till the buds have expanded and growth 



V 



Fig. 51. 



has fairly commenced. The question will be asked, "What 

 occasion is there for this treatment at this particular season ?" 

 The answer is, that the buds at the end of the cane will always 

 push earlier and stronger than any others ; in fact, those lower 

 down on the cane will often remain perfectly dormant. Bend- 

 ing the vine will check the rush of sap to the top ; this causes 

 the buds to "break" uniformly. As soon as this object is as- 

 sured, the canes are extended horizontally, as in Fig. 52, and 

 tied to the lowest wire or slat of the trellis. 



Fig. 52. 



It will be found that the different varieties vary much in 

 their manner of growth, in this, that the internodes are much 

 greater in some kinds than in others. The wood is spoken of 

 as short- or long-jointed, as the case may be. For example, 

 the Hartford Prolific will have two buds where the Diana has 

 but one. A knowledge of the habit of each variety in this par- 

 ticular is important, as every other bud on the horizontal arms 

 of short-jointed canes had better be rubbed off, choosing those 

 on the under side (see Fig. 53, a, a, a, a, a, a,) to prevent too 



