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the barren shoots. This is, however, too sweeping 

 advice for the inexperienced, as there are sometimes 

 ulterior objects in view besides the crop of the pre- 

 sent year. Blanks may have to be supplied, or a 

 peculiar course of training carried out, to effect which, 

 shoots must, of course, be reserved where necessary. 

 Beyond such provision, however, all other shoots may 

 he deemed superfluous, and may be rubbed away the 

 moment it is determined what ought to be reserved. 

 3. Blossoming Period. — "Stopping," as it is 

 termed technically, is a very important affair iu 

 vine-culture, more especially in-doors ; without this, 

 all would be confusion. This process might, per- 

 haps, have been discussed under the head "break- 

 ing." It will, perhaps, be as well, however, to 

 connect it with the "blossoming period." " Stop- 

 ping," like "slow breaking," tends to equalise the 

 sap, providing the strongest shoots are first operated 

 on, and the others in succession. It, moreover, 

 tends to concentrate the energies of the vine to 

 a given point ; thereby enlarging the character 

 of the branch. A distinction must, however, be 

 drawn here, between the "long rod" system and the 

 "close spur," each of which are respectively eligible 

 in certain situations. The chief difference, as before 

 observed, does not consist in the aggregate amount 

 of produce, but in the size of the individual bunches 

 or berries, conjointly with their keeping properties, 

 and the ultimate end in view. If long rods be re- 



