MAY] THE VINEYARD. THE NURSERY. 403 



clusters, before they overrun the trees, and where worms or canker 

 appear in either stems or branches, let such parts be treated as di- 

 rected on page 149. 



THE VINEYARD. 



The vines will now begin to shoot vigorously, and produce besides 

 bearing and other useful shoots, numbers that are totally unnecessary, 

 which ought to be carefully cleared away, for if left on, they would 

 rob the fruit, and also crowd and impoverish those shoots intended 

 for next year's bearing. But in doing this, you must be very par- 

 ticular not to break off, in going between the vines, such fruiting or 

 other shoots as are necessary, for at this time they are very easily 

 injured; nor to annoy in the least the blossom buds, which will early 

 in the month be very prominent. Where suckers from the roots, or 

 shoots from the under parts of the stems appear, let them be imme- 

 diately stripped off. The principal part of this work, if attended to 

 in due time, may be done with the finger and thumb, but where that 

 will not answer, you may now use the knife with great safety, for 

 although these plants bleed copiously in spring when destitute of 

 leaves, yet afterwards the exhalation by the foliage becomes so great, 

 that the absorbent roots do not supply a fluid so fast as it could be 

 expended in the growth of the plant or dissipated into the air; hence 

 the cause of the drooping of various kinds of plants in hot weather. 



All the shoots that have fruit on, and others that are strong, well 

 placed, and suitable for next year's bearing, should, when grown to 

 a sufficient length, be carefully and neatly tied up to the stakes, pre- 

 viously observing, as before directed, to clear away all unnecessary 

 young growths arising in places not wanted, and to leave a sufficiency 

 of the best for a proper choice in the general winter pruning. 



It will not be proper at this time to cultivate the ground between 

 the vines, as many accidents might happen thereby to the blossoms 

 and young shoots ; but towards the end of the month, or when all 

 the vines have had their first tying up (for this must be repeated as 

 they advance in growth), you should give the ground a general clean- 

 ing either by hoe or plough, &c., as most convenient. 



THE NURSERY. 



DESTROY WEEDS. 



There is nothing more important at this season, than the destruc- 

 tion of weeds in all parts of the nursery, for if you let any of them 

 perfect seeds, your ground will thereby be stocked for years ; there- 

 fore the hoe must be applied wherever you can use it, and always be 



