14 FRUIT-GARDENING. 



with warm pitch spread upon a piece of bladder ; or peel off 

 the outside bark to some distance from the place, and then 

 press into the pores of the wood a composition of pounded 

 chalk and pitch, mixed to the consistence of putty. Vines 

 will bleed in autumn as well as in spring, though not so 

 copiously. The best preventive is timely or early pruning in 

 the spring, and not pruning until the wood is thoroughly ripe 

 in autumn. 



With respect to the manner in which vines, and some parti- 

 cular kinds of trees, should be trained, opinions are at vari- 

 ance. Some advise training the shoots in a straight and direct 

 manner, others in a horizontal manner, and others again in a 

 serpentine form, etc. If vines be trained on low walls or trel- 

 lises, the horizontal or zigzag manner of training may be 

 adopted. Horizontal training is that in which from a main 

 stem lateral branches are led out horizontally on each side. 



It has been remarked, that in order to be a good trainer of 

 vines, a man must have some forethought, and be capable of 

 making his selection as the plants shoot. He must predeter- 

 mine how he shall prune, and where he shall cut at the end of 

 the season ; and so, as it were, fashion the plants to his mind. 

 He has this more effectually in his power, with respect to the 

 vine, than fruit-trees with fruit, on account of its rapid growth, 



PRUNING THE VINE. 



In 'pruning vines, cut generally two inches above the bud. 

 Some cut nearer, even as near as half an inch, which is apt to 

 weaken the shoot of next season, and sometimes to prevent its 

 vegetating at all ; the buds being very susceptible of injury, on 

 account of the soft and spongy nature of the wood. In cut- 

 ting out old wood, be careful to cut in a sloping direction, 

 and to smoothe the edges of the wood, in order to prevent its 

 being injured by moisture. The pruning being finished, let 

 the loose, shreddy, outward rind on the old wood be carefully 

 peeled off, observing not to injure the sound bark, and clear 



