AND WINE MAKING. 50 



ing them equally, and when the young shoots appear, 

 thin out the weakest, leaving the others to grow un- 

 checked. Next fall cut back the weakest of the canes 

 to two buds each, the stronger ones to three or four buds, 

 the spurs at bottom to come in as a reserve, should any of 

 the main arms become diseased. 



Others prefer the Thomery or horizontal arm training, 

 but I think it much more complicated and difficult. 

 Those who wish to inform themselves about it, I refer to 

 the books of Fuller and Mead, which are very explicit on 

 the subject. 



CHAPTER XV. 



OTHER METHODS OF TRAINING. 



These are almost without number ; one of the most 

 common is to place three stakes around the vine, about a 

 foot from it, and to wind the canes or arms around them 

 spirally, until they reach the top. They are then 

 " spurred in " every season, and no young canes grown, 

 except to replace a decaying arm. This mode is much 

 more inconvenient than a trellis, and it crowds fruit 

 and foliage too much, inducing mildew. Another, much 

 in vogue in Europe, and also in California, is the so- 

 called bash or stool method of training. The vine is 

 made to form its crown, i. e ., the part from which the 

 branches start, from 12 to 18 inches above the ground 

 and all the young shoots are allowed to grow, but sum- 

 mer pruned or checked above the last bunch of grapes. 

 The next spring or fall all of the young shoots are 

 " spurred-in " to two buds ; this system of spurring-in is 

 kept up, and the vine will at last present the appearance 

 of a bush or miniature tree, producing all its fruit within 



