140 THE VINEYARD. [FEB. 



The three years old plants must be headed down, to two good 

 buds, leaving not more than two shoots to each plant, which 

 will produce four for the ensuing season ; and these, if the plants be 

 in good health, will yield fruit very handsomely that year. 



The fourth year of a plant, leave it three of the best shoots, head- 

 ing them down to two good buds each ; and observe to cut off the 

 extra branches close to where they were produced, and in like man- 

 ner any decayed wood, as well as the spurs or stumps occasioned by 

 last years pruning : by which treatment, all the parts will get co- 

 vered with bark, and the stock be continued in health and vigour. 



According as your vines increase in age and strength, you may 

 Jeave from four to eight shoots on a plant, in proportion to its strength, 

 each headed down from two to four or five good buds, always leav- 

 ing the greatest number of buds on the most vigorous shoots. 



When a vine is extremely vigorous, and well furnished, you may 

 head one or two of its best shoots, at the height of three or four 

 feet, which will bear an abundance of fruit ; but the others must be 

 headed down to two or three buds each, in order that they may 

 produce good wood for the ensuing years bearing, and not too many 

 fruit ; for, those which you headed so high, must be effectually cut 

 out close to where they were produced in the next pruning. 



Having finished your pruning, see that each plant has a good firm 

 gtake. to support the young shoots when produced and advancing in 

 growth, and if it be vigorous and of many shoots, a second, or even 

 a third, would be more eligible. 



Some inconsiderate persons may think, that eight are too few for 

 a full grown vine ; but if they consider that the eight shoots so 

 pruned, may produce on an average twenty-four, and each of these 

 bear three bunches of grapes, making in all sixty-two, they will 

 probably view the matter in a different point, especially, when they 

 consider that the ground occupied by this plant, is no more than 

 about six feet square, However fond people may be to see their 

 vines bear great quantities of fruit, the overbearing of them, espe- 

 cially while young, and indeed at any period, is allowed on all hands 

 to injure them materially. 



You are particularly to observe, that the young shoots of last 

 summers growth, are the only bearing wood; that is, they produce 

 new shoots which bear fruit the same season : therefore, if you 

 expect a regular supply of grapes, you must manage your plants so 

 as to have an annual succession of new wood, which you cannot ex- 

 pect, if the vines are suffered to overbear. 



The above being the method of managing vines in vineyards, the 

 heads being formed near the ground, which is the present practice 

 jn most of the vine countries ; I shall now proceed to give some di- 

 rections for the pruning of such as are trained against walls, 

 trellis's, or espaliers. 



Pruning of Vine$ against Walls^ Trellis's and JEsflaliers. 



In order to have well formed espaliers and wall-vines, &c. you 

 train the two first good shoots produced by the plant, horizon* 



