128 GENERAL AUTUMNAL PRUNING. 



most invariably round and haj^d., of a good size, and 

 short-jobited, with large prominent buds, that are in 

 general rather round at their extremities. Bearing 

 these qualities in mind, choose such shoots as answer 

 this description, and that are situated nearest to the 

 stem, but sufficiently distant from each other to ad- 

 mit of their fruiting shoots being conveniently train- 

 ed in the next summer, without being crowded. 

 Shorten each shoot to such part of it as is sound and 

 hard, retaining as many well-ripened buds as possible. 

 Let the shoots be situated in equal numbers on each 

 of the main branches ; for instance, if the vine con- 

 tain only two arms, similar to figure 3, (page 83,) 

 and four bearing shoots be retained, let two be situ- 

 ated on each arm ; also, let the two shoots on one arm 

 contain the same number of buds, or nearly so, as the 

 two on the other arm. Now count the buds on each 

 shoot, omitting the two bottom ones, and set apart 

 the required number on the fewest shoots possible. 

 Having done this, cut all the other parts of the vine 

 entirely away, retaining only those on which are situ- 

 ated these bearing-shoots and the spurs to produce 

 future bearers; the main object in view, being to get 

 rid of the greatest quantity possible of old ivood. But 

 if any of the shoots that are to be thus cut away, 

 should be favorably situated for the production of 

 bearing-shoots at some future period, leave on all 

 such the lowermost bud ; but with respect to all the 

 rest, cut them out close to their respective parent 

 branches. 



3d. Cut out from the bearing-shoots that are re- 

 tained all their lateral shoots close to the bases of the 

 buds, and also the remaining portions of the tendrils 

 and footstalks of the bunches of fruit, (if any,) as well 

 as all excrescences, and every portion of dead wood 

 that remains in the vine. Prune them all smoothly, 

 close to their parent branches, in a clean and work- 

 manlike manner, leaving behind no nnsightly ragged 

 edges or extremities to disfigure the vine. 



4th. If any part of the outer bark of the stem or 



