352 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTUBAL SOCIETY. 



trained to the wires and tied witli tarred rope into nearly the form 

 it will oceiipv the succeeding year. 



At each tall pruning all that year's growth, with the exception of 

 the next year's fruiting cane and two buds left for the following 

 3'ear's fruiting canes, is removed, two buds being left in case an ac- 

 cident should befall one of them. The cane is now trained to the 

 wires in the form it will have while bearing fruit, the end being 

 made fast to the third or fourth wire, according to shape of the 

 vine, by a piece of No. IG annealed wire four inches in length. 

 This piece of wire will perform the same office for several j'cars. 

 We prefer to have the cane go over the fourth wire ; then to be 

 turned downward, and fastened to the third. 



AVe have noticed when the cane has been left straight or nearl}' 

 so that the sap rushes to the end, causing the buds there to break 

 first, the intermediate ones breaking later and producing weaker 

 shoots. 



If our observations are correct, the more the cane is bent the more 

 uniformly the buds break ; that has been our experience at least ; 

 consequently we train our fruiting canes into the form of a hoop, 

 and are satisfied that our fruit ripens earlier and more evenly b}' 

 this method. 



We leave two joints on the laterals and notice that the fruit is 

 as good from the second as the first, but can give no reason why 

 it should be so. This method of pruning works well with the Con- 

 cords and Moore's Early ; but we can not sa}' how it would be with 

 other varieties, as we make specialties of no others. 



Both these gentlemen received your Committee in the most hos- 

 pitable manner. Mr. Andrews has a delightful location for his 

 vineyard ; and is doing all he can to make the culture of the grape 

 a success, and he had promise of a fine crop of fruit. 



The excellent success attained by Mr. Bigelow is only addi- 

 tional evidence of what perseverance can do in utilizing what was 

 once an uni)rolitable piece of ground. His principal crop, the 

 Concord, was to be ranked among the best we ever saw ; the 

 foliage was very large, clean, and handsome, and the bunches of 

 fruit were superb. We think that the vines being placed singly 

 (each one having a separate trellis to itself), and also not being 

 planted as close as usual, and the excellent care bestowed upon 

 them, keeping the foliage in the healthiest possible condition, all 



