TEIMMING YOUNG BEARING VINES. 55 



TRIMMING YOUNG BEARING VINES IN THE FOURTH 

 YEAR. 



This "brancli of a Vine-dresser's labors, whether for 

 young or old vines, being an interference with, and an 

 artificial regulation of, nature, requires more of his 

 skill, judgment, and neatness, than any other. Its ob- 

 ject is two-fold: 



1st. To secure each summer a proper amount of ma- 

 ture bearing-wood for the next and subsequent years, 

 and by thus concentrating upon particular parts of the 

 vine all its fructifying powers, preserve it in a healthy, 

 vigorous condition. 



2d. To improve the quality of the fruit, whether 

 intended for the table or for the making of wine. 



The instruction upon this subject would best be 

 given with the grapevine before us. We will en- 

 deavor to supply this by cuts, and if the reader will 

 only, with this book in hand, himself learn practically 

 how to trim his grapevine, we have strong assurance 

 that, in a very few seasons, he will be a successful 

 trimmer. 



An opinion is prevalent, which I must notice very 

 briefly. It is that grapevines should not be trimmed 

 at all. This opinion springs from that superficial 

 notion, that the experience of European -vine-dressers 

 is of little consequence here, and that the treatment of 



