@P THE VINE, 31' 



bearing condition possible. It produced in the following 

 spring an abundant supply of vigorous bearing-shoots, 

 and showed seventy-eight bunches of fine grapes, the 

 produce of twenty-nine buds retained on two horizon- 

 tal right and left shoots. As the season advanced, the 

 shoots extended themselves rapidly, the bunches of fruit 

 increased in size, and the vine thrived as well as usual, 

 seemingly quite unconscious of the task it shortly had 

 to perform. Blossoming being over, and the fruit 

 set, the trial of strength commenced. On the first 

 of July many of the bunches measured eleven inches- 

 from the shoulders to the extremities, and when ma- 

 tured, would have weighed a pound and a half each. 

 They hung close together, forming, as far as they ex- 

 tended on the wall, an entire and compact mass of 

 grapes, the weight of which, if ripened, would have ex- 

 ceeded sixty pounds. The middle of that month 

 arrived, and the berries had only reached the size of 

 small peas, while those on other vines* not subjected 

 to any such trial, were full grown, and had commenced 

 the stoning process. On the first of August, no 

 perceptible increase of size in the berries had taken 

 place, and the vine began to show strong symptoms of 

 exhaustion. About the middle of that month the foli- 

 age assumed a withering appearance, and on the first of 

 September the vegetation of the plant was almost at a 

 stand. The shoots ceased to grow, the fruit and foli. 

 age were in a prostrate condition, and the vital energies- 

 of the vine appeared quite unable to supply the daily 

 increasing demand, for nourishment. Throughout that 

 month it continued in a pitiable condition, and though 

 a valuable plant, it was, nevertheless, suffered to take 

 its course, as well as all the others, in order that the 

 trial might be decisive. About the first ef October,, 

 the greater part of the berries having grown as large 

 as middling-sized peas, those on the shoulders of some 



