112 WEEKLY CALENDARIAL REGISTER. 



set, and also the border, in addition to the appUcation 

 of hquid manure to the latter as before directed. The 

 atmosphere contiguous to the vine will be thereby 

 rendered humid, and thus offer a supply of moisture 

 which the foliage and fruit will quickly and most 

 advantageously absorb. 



The whole strength of the vine will now be put in 

 requisition by the daily increasing size of the berries. 

 Pay great attention, therefore, to the thinning of 

 them, and use the scissors very freely. Remember, 

 that every berry cut out, leaves its share of nourish- 

 ment to be divided amongst the remaining ones. Leave 

 none but the largest berries, and those as nearly as 

 you can at equal distances from each other on the 

 bunches, bearing in mind, that two of the character- 

 istics of a fine bunch of grapes, are large berries of 

 equal size. 



26th. Now, as the period of ripening hastens on, 

 the full benefit of the sun's rays will be of the great- 

 est advantage. Take care, therefore, that no portion 

 of the fruit be shaded by more than the consistence of 

 a single leaf. If through inattention in training the 

 shoots, the leaves should be too crowded in any part, 

 the former must be loosened from the wall, and re- 

 nailed at a proper distance from each other, as the 

 leaves must not on any account be pulled off. Strip- 

 ping ofT the leaves, for the purpose of exposing the 

 fruit to the direct rays of the sun, under the mistaken 

 notion that it will thereby ripen earlier, is a practice 

 that cannot be too strongly condemned. The value 

 of the leaves in protecting the fruit has already been 

 pointed out; it is only necessary, therefore, further to 

 remark, that, as the greater portion of the secretions 

 of the plant is prepared in the leaves, every leaf that" 

 is pulled off, not only greatly injures the vegetation of 

 the vine; but the bud at the base of the footstalk of 

 the loaf, by being deprived of its principle source of 

 nourishment, is crippled in its growth, and otherwise 

 seriously injured in its vitality. Moreover, if a leaf 

 that is growing near to, and on the same shoot as a 



