126 THE GRAPE. 



a house or even a vineyard will continue to yield a good 

 crop for two or three generations, than when the planting, 

 making fresh borders, &c., has to be renewed every ten, 

 or at most fifteen years. 



In making these remarks we would not wish to be 

 severe, for there are many persons so situated by pe- 

 culiar circumstances as to prevent them from carrying 

 out the most natural or best methods of culture, even 

 though they may be aware of the error of their present 

 practice, yet there are others who have popular and prac- 

 tical prejudices to overcome, before they will be enabled 

 to see the desirableness of asking themselves a few 

 physiological questions, or take the trouble to find the 

 answers in nature's voluminous folios. May we hope that 

 these set notions and dogmas may speedily vanish, from 

 this free country at least, where the mutual and physical 

 industry of man is unfettered, and where we may become 

 a pattern to the world, in good culture, if not in artificial 

 grandeur. 



We cannot let the present part of the subject pass by 

 without a few remarks on summer pruning, and as it may 

 be thought that this is merely a repetition of former words, 

 we plead the importance of the matter for the introduc- 

 tion. It has often been advised, and that, too, by some of 

 the best cultivators, to stop the bearing shoots at an eye, 

 or in some instances two eyes above the bunch, and like- 

 wise to do the same with the young cane when it has 

 elongated to the top of the rafter, or the upright support ; 

 also to pinch out all laterals as they are produced, thereby 

 making the operation into a rule. There is no doubt that 

 many conscientiously believe such a system to be judi- 

 cious, and because their crops are satisfactory to themselves, 

 they continue on the same practice without further con- 

 sideration ; but this does not close up the avenue for free 



