GENERAL AUTUMNAL PRUNING. 143" 



the production of bearing-shoots at some future period, 

 leave on all such the lowermost bud, but cut all the 

 rest out close to their respective parent branches. 



3rd. Cut out from the bearing-shoots that are re^ 

 tained, all their lateral shoots, close to the bases of the- 

 buds, and also the remaining portions of the tendrils 

 and footstalks of the bunches of fruit, (if any,) as 

 well as all excrescences, and every portion of dead 

 wood that remains in the vine. Prune them all 

 smoothly, close to their parent branches, leaving no un- 

 sightly ragged edges or extremities to disfigure the vine. 



Ath. If any part of the outer bark of the stem or 

 branches be decayed, which will be easily seen by its 

 loose and ragged appearance ; peel or scrape off all 

 such parts with a blunt-edged pocket-knife, taking care- 

 not to wound, or in any way injure the live bark. 

 The decayed bark having lost its vitality, and with it 

 its power of resisting and throwing off the rain, be- 

 comes so highly retentive of moisture, as to be almost 

 sodden wet throughout the winter months, especially 

 if several layers of it have been suffered to accumu- 

 late. In this state, if permitted to remain, it speedily 

 generates moss, and becomes, also, the receptacle of 

 innumerable insects. And it is contrary to every 

 known principle of vegetable life, that a plant like the 

 vine, which is a native of a warm climate, should ever 

 flourish, while its stem and branches are thus encircled 

 with a decayed bandage, covered with moss and satu~ 

 rated with moisture, which constantly chills its juices, 

 and thereby paralyzes the beneficial effects of the sun 

 and air, during a period of the year when they are of 

 the last importance to the health of the plant. The an- 

 nual removal of the decayed bark, therefore, may be 

 regarded as a point of culture, that tends very greatly 

 to promote the prosperous vegetation of a vine. 



5th. The barking of the vine being finished, the 

 whole operation will be completed, and the branches 



