180 THE GRAPE CULTUKIST. 



CHAPTER XYII. 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



THINNING THE FRUIT. There are very few varieties of 

 grapes, cultivated in the open air, that require the thinning 

 out of the fruit to enable them to ripen. Most of the na- 

 tive varieties have bunches sufficiently open and loose to 

 allow the air to circulate freely among the berries and aid 

 them in ripening. If a portion of the berries are removed, 

 those remaining will certainly grow much larger than if all 

 were allowed to mature. There are some varieties that 

 have naturally very compact bunches, so much so that all 

 of the berries will seldom ripen unless a portion of them 

 are removed. With such as these it is best to cut out a 

 part of the berries so soon as they are fully formed. This 

 thinning should be done with a pair of sharp-pointed scis- 

 sors, cutting out from one fourth to one half the berries, 

 taking them from different parts of the bunch, so that when 

 it is fully grown it will be uniform, and the berries will not 

 be any more crowded upon one part than another. 



It would scarcely be practicable to thin out the berries of 

 all the bunches in a vineyard, and no one would think of 

 cultivating. extensively a variety that required it; still, 

 there are varieties which are highly recommended by some 

 persons, that will seldom mature more than half the fruit 

 that sets. The bunches of these should be thinned. 



These varieties often possess valuable qualities, and if 

 persons have time to give them the requisite care, really 

 excellent fruit may be obtained. There is scarcely a bet- 

 ter or more beautiful grape than the Herbemont, when it 

 is grown in a warm, protected situation and its fruit prop- 



