80 ON THE PRUNING OF VINES. 



fruit in the following year ; at the succeeding autumn 

 these latter are cut down to very short spurs, and the 

 long shoots that have pushed from the spurs, are 

 trained at whole length as before, and so on annually 

 in alternate succession. This method reconmiends 

 itself by its simplicity; by the old wood of the vine 

 being annually got rid of; by the small number of 

 wounds inflicted in the pruning ; by the clean and 

 handsome appearance of the vine ; and by the great 

 ease with which it is managed, in consequence of its 

 occupying but a small portion of the surface of the 

 wall. These characteristics of long pruning are sufli- 

 cient to make that method superior to every other. 

 As the details of it are given more fully in the two 

 following chapters, it is not necessary to describe it 

 further here. Before entering on the subject of 

 Training, a few general rules may be advantageously 

 laid down for the guidance of the pruner. 



1st. — In pruning, always cut upwards, and in a 

 sloping direction. 



2d. — Always leave an inch of blank wood beyond 

 the terminal bud, and let the cut be on the opposite 

 side of the bud. 



3d. — Prune so as to leave as few wounds as possi- 

 ble, and let the surface of every cut be perfectly 

 smooth. 



4th. — Tn cutting out an old branch, prune iteven with 

 the parent limb, that the wound may quickly heal. 



5tli. — ^Prune so as to obtain the quantity of fruit 

 desired, on the smallest number of shoots possible. 



6th. — Never prune in frosty weather, nor when a 

 frost is expected. 



7th. — Never prune in the months of March, April, 

 or May. Prunuig in either of these months causes 

 bleeding, and occasions thereby a wasteful, and an 

 injurious expenditure of sap. 



8th. — Let the general autumnal pruning take 

 place as soon after the first of October as the gather- 

 ing of the fruit will permit. 



Lastly^ use a pruning-knife of the best description, 

 and let it be, if possible, as sharp as a razor. 



