PRUNING GEAPE VINES. 135 



vine was pruned so severely as to cause several 

 shoots to issue from the previously barren wood. 

 Two of these bore fruit. 



In performing this experiment, we kept carefully 

 in view the difficulties attendant upon bringing it to 

 a successful result, and although we succeeded in 

 getting fruit from only two out of nine shoots, still, 

 this was sufficient to establish the point. In perform- 

 ing it, care will be necessary to prune with sufficient 

 severity to force the buds out of the barren wood, 

 and yet to leave sufficient head to draw up the sap 

 and prevent the too vigorous growth of the shoots 

 after they are formed ; otherwise the blossoms may 

 change to tendrils. This experiment does not sug- 

 gest any newer or better mode of pruning the vine, 

 but it throws new light upon the laws which govern 

 the formation of fruit buds, and exemplifies the fact 

 that they are formed where the vital forces of the vine 

 are so balanced that there is sufficient vigor and 

 material to form fruit, and yet not so much rampant 

 growth as to rob the blossoms of their necessary 

 nutriment and convert them into tendrils. 



That they are so convertible, every cultivator is 

 aware, for it often happens that the hopes of the 

 unskillful vine-dresser are disappointed — ^liis fine 

 show of blossom buds, turning out nothing but ten- 

 di'ils. 



