98 FRUIT CULTURE UNDER GLASS. 



bearing shoots to form one leaf, then stop them, and 

 do not allow them to make more growth the whole 

 season. A lesser number of large well -developed 

 leaves is preferable to a greater number in a crowded 

 condition. 



As soon as the shoots can be tied down without 

 fear of their breaking, carefully bring them down 

 till they can be tied to the under sides of the wires. 

 This operation must not be attempted at once. They 

 must be brought down by degrees, beginning with 

 them when their points have nearly touched the 

 glass. Even when they can be tied down safely at 

 one time, they frequently force themselves off the 

 main stem in the course of a few hours. Shorten 

 the laterals, on the portion of the main stem which 

 is not bearing, to one leaf, when the wood has become 

 brown. 



In thinning off the bunches to the number directed, 

 make a partial thinning when the shoots are tied down, 

 and the final thinning when they are out of bloom, 

 except in the case of Muscats, the thinning of which 

 should be left till it can be seen which bunches have 

 set their berries most regularly. The thinning of the 

 berries should take place, in the case of Hamburgs 

 and all free-setting sorts, as soon as the berries attain 

 the size of radish-seeds. But with the shy-setting 

 sorts it is best to delay their thinning till they are 

 larger, and it can be seen which are properly fertil- 

 ised and which are not. 



SPUR-PRUNING FOR NEXT SEASON'S CROP. 



It is now very generally admitted that the close- 

 spur system of pruning is the best i.e., to cut back 



