58 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 



side of tlie shoot, then cut clean out the two following, leaving 

 the fourth, taking out the next two, and so on till you reach 

 eight or nine feet in height, as to that length the cane must 

 be cut hack ; proceed again at the bottom, disbudding the 

 other side in the same manner, so that, in that length, you 

 will be able to leave eight or ten permanent eyes, to form 

 fruit-bearing spurs for the following year, or five on each side. 

 Having cleared your border of the superfluous manure, which 

 will be the case by the beginning of July, during that month 

 and August I keep my border nearly exposed to the full rays 

 of the sun and air, by which means the majority of the roots 

 having been kept on the surface, by the heat added as before 

 mentioned, are more perfectly ripened, so that in September 

 I am enabled to give them a light top dressing (though only 

 the first season,) of ground bones, loamy soil, rotten manure, 

 and decayed carrion, — these manures are all, I have proved, 

 great fertilizers of the vine, — covering the whole with an inch 

 or two of half rotten stable manure, to prevent evaporation. 



" The vines planted on the inside of the house will require 

 attention at the root ; they want great support as their foliage 

 becomes fully developed. I make use of liquid manure di- 

 luted, and clear rainwater, alternately, but always in a tepid 

 state. I never allow a vine border inside the house to be 

 watered with cold water after vegetation commences, until 

 the fruit or wood is ripe." 



Chapter 4th. " Presuming that all has gone on favorably 

 the last season, you may expect a nice sprinkling of grapes 

 from your young vines only planted one year ; but I caution 

 the tyro not to be anxious in wishing to produce very early 

 grapes ; if too sanguine, he ^Yill do this at the expense, and 

 to the great detriment, of the future welfare of his young 

 vines. The first, or middle of March, I consider sufficiently 

 soon to begin forcing, the second year. A few days previous 

 to commencing, lay on the border, to the width of twelve or 

 fourteen feet, good fermenting stable litter and leaves, to the 

 depth as mentioned for last season. The time your vines will 



