142 OPEN AIR GRAPE CULTURE. 



much progress aa I could have expected, and their 

 different degrees of vigor were nearly in proportion 

 to the state of .the roots when planted. When the 

 leaves had fallen in the end of the year, I cut them 

 down to the second or third eye, when they had this 

 appearance. (Fig. 28.) 



Fig. 28. 



" In the beginning of the succeeding February, I ex- 

 cited them gradually into action by a little fire heat, 

 and when the buds were ready to burst I rubbed all 

 off but the two finest on each plant ; the strongest of 

 these I intended to furnish bearing wood for the 

 lower half of the roof for the following year. The 

 most feeble of the two was cut down to the second or 

 third eye, at the end of the season, and at the same 

 time the strongest shoot was reduced to eight 

 feet, being the length of the lower half of the rafter. 



"Whilst they were growing during the second sum- 

 mer, I kept the shoots regularly trained upward, di- 

 vesting them of tendrils and laterals. I only allowed 

 the strongest of the two leading shoots to run about 

 tiiree, four or five joints beyond the middle of the 



