134 THE NURSERY AND THE ORCHARD. 



all but the most thrifty one are rubbed off. The one that 

 is left is trained to a stake, and after it grows several 

 feet the top is pinched off to strengthen the cane. 



Fig. 9-4 represents the vine during the summer of the 

 first year. In the following fall it is cut back to a few 

 buds, two of which are to be left to make canes if the 

 vine has made a strong growth. At the end of the 

 second season it presents the appearance of fig. 95. 

 These two canes should be from twelve to fifteen inches 

 from the ground. By thus retarding the growth of the 

 vine and preventing it from bearing during the first two 

 years, the root becomes so strong and well established 

 that in after years it produces full crops of the finest 

 fruit without injury. Many young vines are ruined by 

 overbearing. 



At this period training may begin; and while many 

 of our best varieties of grapes grow and bear crops with- 

 out any attention in the way of pruning and training, 

 more than supplying a frame of some kind to run upon 

 and a bungling cleaning out every few years, the great 

 superiority of the fruit, when intelligent pruning and 

 training are practiced, ought to induce every owner of a 

 grape vine to give these operations some attention. 

 Various systems have been adopted, each of which has 

 its advocates and advantages. Some of these systems 

 appear very complicated to the beginner, but by apply- 

 ing a few principles, which are easily understood, they 

 will all be readily comprehended, and can be adopted in 

 whole, or with such modifications as may suit the cir- 

 cumstances. In all systems the principal object should 

 be to obtain the proper quantity of strong bearing wood, 

 the fruit being produced on the shoots of the cwrrent 



