RIVAL SYSTEMS OF VINE-CULTURE. 45 



ture meaning by that a system which only supposes 

 one or two bearing-rods to be trained from each vine, 

 and where the method of pruning is what is called the 

 close-cutting system, where the new wood is all cut 

 back to one eye at the base of each lateral. Thus a 

 question of such importance is raised that I do not 

 feel justified in passing it by, apart from which I have 

 been asked my opinion of the merits of the two sys- 

 tems by numerous correspondents. These circumstances 

 combined have determined me to devote a chapter to 

 discussing the subject, believing, as 1 do, that there is 

 much truth in what is said by the advocates of both 

 sides of the question, as there generally is when sensible 

 men discuss questions of this character. I may here 

 remark that the question is by no means a new one to 

 me ; more than twenty years ago I frequently discussed 

 it with the late Mr Peter Kay of Finchly. Theoreti- 

 cally, it must at once be admitted that the one-vine 

 or " extension " system stands on vantage-ground. No 

 one can deny that a tree which is largely developed, 

 with its roots ranging over what I may term an exten- 

 sive pasture-field, is likely to maintain its health and 

 vigour for a much greater length of time than one that 

 is by the force of circumstances restricted in its growth. 

 But there are practical difficulties in the way of the 

 general adoption of the former mode of culture. In 

 the first place, all experience goes to prove that the 

 vine is what may be termed a rambling rooter. If the 

 border is not carefully made, and of such materials as 

 to induce the formation of a numerous progeny of fine 

 branching fibry roots, the width of any ordinary vine- 

 border will soon be traversed by them. This takes 



