138 GENEKAL AUTUMNAL PRUNING. 



increases with their growth, is held in subjection 

 throughout the summer, by a similar, but superior 

 power, possessed by the fruit, which in an extraordinary 

 degree diverts the fluids of the plant, and appropriates 

 them to its own growth and maturation. As soon, 

 however, as the fruit is ripened, this power which it 

 previously possessed becomes nearly extinct, and the 

 fluids of the plant are then chiefly appropriated to the 

 nourishment of the buds, and to the growth of the roots 

 and branches. Now, as the great effort of the vine in 

 ripening its fruit is made either before the autumnal 

 equinox, or immediately after it, while the sap is yet 

 moving pretty briskly, if the vine be pruned shortly 

 after that period, the sap quickly accumulates in the 

 shoots that are retained, and the buds attracting it very 

 powerfully, rapidly advance in their growth and ma- 

 turation. They thus steal a march, as it were, on 

 their next year's vegetation. But if the vine be pruned 

 too early, before the motion of the sap is sufficiently 

 weakened by the declining power of the sun, the buds 

 then feed themselves to repletion, and prematurely burst. 

 Hence it follows, that the most advantageous period 

 for the general pruning of the vine must, undoubtedly, 

 be that point of time when the sap can be made to ac- 

 cumulate in the buds in such quantity as to increase 

 them to their utmost possible size, without bursting them. 

 And this point of time cannot with safety be considered 

 as having arrived till the first of October. A single 

 branch of a moderate-sized vine may be cut out or 

 shortened as early as the middle of September, but the 

 whole vine cannot be pruned, and its entire body of sap 

 thereby suddenly checked in its motion, before the ex- 

 piration of that month, without incurring very great 

 risk of bursting the buds, independently, also, of 

 giving to the vital powers of the plant an injurious 

 shock, by performing such a severe operation prema- 

 turely. As soon, however, as the month of October 



