124 THE GKAPE CTJLTURIST. 



should be left. There is a theory in regard to time of 

 pruning which is of very ancient date, and as it has been 

 and is still taken as a partial guide by many cultivators in 

 pruning not only the vine, but other fruit-bearing plants, I 

 will give the main points of it as briefly as possible. Ac- 

 cording to this theory, when cold weather first checks the 

 growth of the vine, it does not entirely stop the absorption 

 of food by the roots ; consequently the vine becomes sur- 

 charged with sap, the liquid portions of which are partially 

 given off by evaporation through the bark and buds, and 

 the more solid portions are deposited throughout the entire 

 length of the vine, so that each bud is equally supplied 

 with its quota of food with w. hich to commence vegetation 

 anew in the spring. Now suppose a portion of the vine is 

 cut away early in the fall, it is evident that that which re- 

 mains has the whole root for its support, and it may receive 

 all the strength that would have been diffused throughout 

 the unpruned vine. The few remaining buds will of course 

 put forth in spring much more vigorously, and send out 

 fruit-bearing wood in greater perfection than it is possible 

 for an unpruned vine to do. 



I doubt the truth of this theory ; but, according to it, 

 the rule for pruning would be : if the vine is weak, prune 

 early that is, so soon as it sheds its leaves ; but if it is a 

 vigorous grower and a shy bearer, then prune late. That 

 pruning the vine at different periods produces a different 

 result is no doubt true, but it is difficult to determine just 

 how much difference it makes, because no two vines in the 

 vineyard will grow two successive seasons with exactly the 

 same vigor, even if they are pruned at the same time both 

 years. 



PRUNING AND TRAINING. 



Having endeavored in the preceding pages to give the 

 necessary details for laying the foundation of successful 

 grape culture, we will now consider the best method of 



