CULTURE OF GRAPE VINES UNDEB GLASS. 317 



shoots should be cut back to four or five feet, and 

 br avowed to bear from four to eight pounds of grapes, 

 according to their strength. They should be fruited in 

 the pots in which they are grown; not shifted; but when 

 well started into growth, may be fed with manure water. 

 Such vines cost from two and a half dollars to five dollars 

 each, according to size. The Black- Hamburg is -the best 

 to use for this purpose. P. H.] 



THE THIRD SEASON. 



At the pruning of the ripe wood, instead of cutting tho 

 vine down to a third of its length, or five feet on a fifteen 

 foot rafter, I think it preferable to leave two-thirds, aud 

 if the vine is strong and well-matured it will break freely, 

 but allow it to bear only a light crop. By doing this, I 

 have found the strength of the vine better equalized, as 

 a strong vine when shortened to five feet, is apt to make 

 a stronger growth on the following season, leaving the 

 lower part comparatively weak. 



THE FOURTH SEASON. 



A full crop may be taken, which should be about 

 eighteen or twenty pounds to each rafter of fifteen feet in 

 length. 



TRAINING THE VINE. 



In this short series I will confine myself to the "spur 

 system," which is the easiest to be comprehended by those 

 beginning the culture of the vine. It is done in this way: 

 presuming that the vine has reached its "third season," 

 and has been cut back to say ten feet from the foot of the 

 rafter, the cane is allowed to branch or spur at each 

 joint or eye, a shoot from the upper part of the cane is 

 allowed to run to the top of the house, which completes 

 the length of the cane. The side shoots, or bearing wood, 



