72 THE AMERICAN VINE-DRESSER'S GUIDE. 



OF PROVINING. 



Proyining serves to replace stocks that 

 have withered, and hence to replenish a vine- 

 yard. It is a very simple process ; hut it must 

 never be performed with shoots from vines 

 that are too young. The vine mast be at 

 least five or six years old, if planted from 

 roots; and seven or eight, if planted from 

 slips. In order to provine successfully, select 

 the longest and most vigorous branch ; make, 

 at the spot where you intend to place it, a 

 hole from sixteen to twenty inches deep, lay 

 your branch in it, without detaching it from 

 the trunk, and perpendicular to the surface ; 

 then fill up the hole, taking care to press 

 the first layer of earth firmly against the 

 twig. You may leave it sixteen or twenty 

 incbes above ground, removing all the eyes 

 save two or three at the extremity. Be care- 

 ful also to remove the buds from the part of 

 tbe twig that extends from the hole to the 

 mother-stock, it being absolutely necessary to 



