VINEYARDS. 129 



a coat of the same was applied to the wire, but I now prefer an 

 asplialtum, or paraffine varnish for the latter. 



Tlie mode of training adopted was, to carry up a single cane 

 to the top of the trellis and allow four arms to grow from each 

 side, to be secured to the four wires. These laterals were 

 twisted around the wires as they grew, and required no tying. 

 In the autumn the wood was cut back according to the strength 

 of the vines, leaving the trellis two-thirds full of bearing wood. 

 A few clusters of fruit grew this season on most of the vines. 



In 1860 a fine crop of grapes was produced, which in conse- 

 quence of the backward and moist season, had not arrived at 

 maturity at the first of October. At that time, during two or 

 three successive nights, the thermometer marked a temperature 

 of thirty degrees, and the berries and leaves were frozen through. 

 A few days subsequent to this date, a warm rain caused all the 

 leaves to drop, leaving upon the trellis a most beautiful show of 

 purple clusters, many of which weighed three-fourths of a pound 

 each. The fruit was worthless for the table, but made a very 

 fine jelly. The wood was only partially mature, and gave poor 

 promise of wintering well. The vines could not be laid down, 

 in consequence of the manner of training, and were left at the 

 mercy of the elements. On the 8th of February last, the 

 mercury descended to twenty-two degrees below zero, having 

 gone down fifty-eight degrees in twelve hours. A considerable 

 portion of the wood itself was killed at this time, and as vegeta- 

 tion commenced in spring, it was found that with only two or 

 three exceptions, every bud, both primary and secondary, were 

 dead. The snow, at the time of this extreme cold, was two feet 

 deep, covering the lower wire of the trellis, and as a consequence 

 the lower laterals or arms of each vine. Tliis portion of all the 

 vines was found to be uninjured, and is this season giving a 

 crop of fruit, the clusters being considerably smaller than usual, 

 consequent, as I suppose, on the immature condition of the 

 wood when vegetation ceased in 1860. As soon as the foliage 

 had become developed the past spring, each vine was cut away 

 just above the lower arras, and six canes were trained perpendic- 

 ularly, a foot asunder, to the top of the trellis. The wood is 

 now, (Sept. 25th,) in quite an advanced state of maturity, 

 and the fruit is well colored, promising to be ripe in another 

 week of favorable weather. 

 17 



