WEEKLY CALENDARIAL REGISTER. 107 



perature of the air in which the fruit grows, Avarmer 

 than that of the atmosphere. They also protect the 

 fruit from the effects of hail, and from continual and 

 heavy rains ; which, in the latter part of the season, 

 when it is ripe, are advantages that cannot be too 

 highly appreciated. It may therefore be considered 

 as an important, and, indeed, an indispensable point 

 of culture, that all the fruit of a vine ought, from the 

 moment of its coming into blossom till it be ripened 

 and gathered, to be shaded by a surface of continuous 

 single leaves, so that no part of it can be seen by an 

 observer, without pulling them aside. It is true, that 

 the shape of the leaves prevents any species of train- 

 ing, so disposing them, as to present one continued 

 single-leaf surface ; but though this point of perfection 

 cannot be attained, yet the nearer you approach to it, 

 the better the culture will be. 



29th. Pay great attention to the future bearing- 

 shoots, which will now be of considerable length, and 

 if not nailed firmly to the wall, will be in danger of 

 being blown down, if a strong wind should arise. If 

 any of them be disposed to grow long-jointed, curve 

 them in the training, which, by compressing the sap 

 vessels, will immediately cause the sap to accumulate, 

 and produce short-jointed wood. 



Keep laterals, tendrils, and useless shoots of every 

 description, in constant check. 



The grapes will now be as large as small peas, they 

 must, therefore, be thinned on the bunches without 

 loss of time. For this purpose provide a pair of 

 sharp-pointed scissors, that will cut well at the points ; 

 and at this first thinning, commence with the biuiches 

 that are the most forward in growth, and reduce the 

 number of berries full one half, cutting out all the 

 smallest, and such as are too close together, so that 

 they may be equally distributed on the bunches. 

 And in thinning such sorts as set thickly, or that 

 cluster, care must be taken to reduce the number of 

 berries in the vicinity of the stalks to such an extent, 

 as to admit a free passage for the circulation of tlie 



