& 



ON VINERIES. 



opinion is, they never properly recover, especially under 

 the management of amateurs and inexperienced gar- 

 deners ; at all events, this will occur in those cases where 

 summer pruning has been carried to excess, amounting 

 to slaughtering instead of careful gradual pinching. 

 After this excessive pruning has been finished, I have 

 heard some gardeners say, 'Now I have let daylight 

 in amongst them.' Indeed, when I was younger, I have 

 said and done it myself ; but as time went on, experience 

 taught me better. 



The shoots of vines which are in a very young state, 

 and in a free -growing condition, should be kept fre- 

 quently pinched, — a process which does not injure or check 

 the vine's growth. I find it much better to have fine 

 leathery foliage than a number of small tender leaves 

 shading the fruit ; as it will be found the sun has great 

 power over the latter, causing them to flag or droop, 

 and interfering with the colouring and ripening of all 

 descriptions of grapes. When capillary action is inter- 

 rupted to such an extent, it paralyzes the vines, and 

 at the same time shows a great want of knowledge of 

 good cultivation. If care and strict attention are exer- 

 cised, the above difficulties will soon be overcome. 



For the benefit of those who have not had an oppor- 

 tunity of studying the subject of capillary attraction, 

 I will take the Uberty of making a quotation from a 



well-known author : — 



'32 



