AND WINE MAKING. 119 



much more heavy and perfect. Thinning of the berries 

 with a small pair of scissors, often resorted to with 

 grapes grown under glass, is a very laborious process to 

 follow in vineyard culture ; though it will certainly make 

 the remaining berries more perfect, it will hardly be 

 generally adopted. 



RENEWING OLD VINES. 



Should a vineyard become old and feeble, it can be re- 

 newed by layering. To prepare for this, prune all the 

 old wood from the vines, leaving but the thriftiest young 

 cane, then dig a trench from the vine along the trellis, 

 say 3 feet long and 10 inches deep, cut off the surface 

 roots of the vine and bend it down into the trench, 

 fastening with a hook, and let about three buds of the 

 young cane come out above the ground, at the end of 

 the trench. Then fill up with well pulverized soil. The 

 vine will make roots at every joint, become vigorous and 

 young again. Of course a season's crop will be lost, but 

 the vine will amply repay for it the season following. 



A FEW NECESSARY IMPLEMENTS. 



PRUNING SHEARS. These are very handy, as with 

 them the work can be done quicker and easier than with 



Fig. 23. PRUNING SHEARS. 



a knife, and but a slight pressure of the hand will cut 

 a strong vine. Figure 22 gives the shape of one for 

 heavy pruning. They are now made by several establish- 



