Summer Fruning of the Vine — No. 3. 



153 



fifty cents ]Hr <ji;;ill()n on impoi'tod 

 wines of all tjraiics, regarding this 

 jiicrcasc as only sufllcient to restore 

 the duties on wines to what they were 

 under the higher prices of gold, and 

 believing that such a tax would yield 

 a greater amount of revenue to the 

 government, ana, at the same time, 

 iiftord incidental encouragement to an 



important branch of American indus- 

 try. 



Apuil 7, 1870. 



[We believe Congress has since 

 raised the dut}-, irrespoc^tive of qual- 

 ity, to 50 cents per gallon, whicli will 

 be amp]}" sufficient for protection, 

 AVe have not the space to give all the 

 statistics in this number, some of 

 w'hich are ver}- interesting.] 



SUMMER PRUNING OF THE VINE— NO. 3. 



After the second pinching of the 

 fruit-bearing branches, as described in 

 our former articles, the laterals will 

 generally start once more, and we 

 pinch the young growth again to one 

 leaf, thus giving each lateral two well 

 •developed leaves. The whole course 

 should be completed about the middle 

 •of June here, and whatever grows 

 afterwards may be left, unless some of 

 the laterals should still become too 

 long and hang over into the row, when 

 they may be taken off' or shortened in. 



In closing, let us glance once more 

 at the objects we have in view, and 

 whether they are really reached by the 

 l^ractice as followed by us. 



1. One of its principal objects is to 

 keep the vine within proper bounds, so 

 that it is at all times under the control 

 of the vintner, without weakening its 

 ■constitution by robbing it of a great 

 amount of foliage. This we trust our 

 readers will find is fully reached by 

 •early and thorough pinching, as the 

 fruit-bearing branches become stock}-, 

 better able to bear up their fruits, 

 and the tendrils can not intertwine 

 •everything. 



2. Judicious thinning of the fruit. — 

 This is done most thoroughly, and at 



a time wdien no vigor has been ex- 

 pended in its development. 



3. Developing strong, healthy foliage. 

 — This object we gain by forcing the 

 growth of the laterals, and thus having 

 two young healthy leaves opposite each 

 bunch, which will shade the fruit and 

 serve as conductors of sap to the fruit. 



4. Groioing vigorous canes for next 

 year's fruiting. — We obtain just as 

 many as we want, and 7io tnore, there- 

 by making them stronger ; and as 

 every part of the vine is thus accessi- 

 ble to light and air, the wood will 

 ripen better and more uniform. 



5. Destruction of noxious insects. — 

 As the vintner has to look over each 

 shoot of the vine, this is done more 

 thoroughly and S3'stematically than by 

 any other process. 



There now you have our method, 

 kind readers of the Culturist. If 

 you can suggest improvements, please 

 let us have them, for we hope to learn 

 a good deal ourselves in our inter- 

 course with you, and hope you will 

 each contribute j'our mite of knowl- 

 edge to the common fund, with that 

 true liberality which we can not help 

 but think should guide every one who 

 follows our noble profession. 



