109 



yard in perfect condition. The best time to kill weeds is the 

 day they are born. 



AMOUNT OF FRUIT. 



u How much fruit can a vine safely be permitted to carry ?'* 

 This is a question often put by the novice, and suggests a mat- 

 ter of vital importance. The answer depends on a variety of 

 circumstances. Be careful never to ask too much of your vines, 

 especially when young. An overcrop is sure to be followed by 

 no crop at all, as in the case of the apple, pear, and other 

 fruits. The most successful growers never allow their vines to 

 ripen more than a few bunches (say four to six) before they 

 are four years old, the number depending upon the vigorous 

 character and strength of each vine. As the vine attains age, 

 the quantity may be gradually increased, till six or eight pounds 

 are reached, and this crop may be repeated every year. Some 

 allow their vines to retain twelve or fifteen pounds, or even 

 more, without serious injury ; but, as a rule, excessive cropping 

 will work ruin in the end. 



Thinning the fruit cannot be done too early. The best time 

 is as soon as the berries have formed. Remove ail small clus- 

 ters, and with small pointed scissors take out all inferior ber- 

 ries from the bunches that are to remain. Some varieties set 

 their berries too closely on the bunch, and may be improved by 

 thinning, both in size and quality. Fruit thus carefully grown 

 will give much greater satisfaction to the consumer, and com- 

 mand a ready sale at a high price in the market. The effect of 

 premature, excessive bearing is often to destroy or greatly to 

 impair the vigor, health, and productiveness of whole vineyards. 

 It should also be borne in mind that reducing the crop by thin- 

 ning insures early maturity. 



It may be suggested that the number of pounds to a vine 

 above named, will give but a light crop to the acre ; but vines 

 planted six by eight feet will give more than nine hundred plants 

 to an acre, and more than three tons of fruit. This would give 

 a profitable return if failures were not too frequent. From two 

 to four tons to an acre is regarded as a fair crop of grapes, 

 while ten tons, it is said, have been grown. But the grower 

 must bear in mind that the larger the crop a vine is allowed to 



