MANAGEMENT OF FRUITESTG VINES. 109 



be given, tlie date varying with the locaHty and tlie 

 season. Tlie best mode of determining the point is to 

 uncover some of the vines as soon as the cold weather 

 has passed away. If they are swollen and ready to 

 push, it is time to tie the vine to the trellis. If they 

 seem still dormant, leave them a little longer. The 

 later the vines can be made to pnsh the better, as they 

 not only escape late frosts, but their excitability seems 

 to be so accumulated and intensified by such retarda- 

 tion that their after growth is much more vigorous 

 than it would otherwise have been. 



After the vines have been properly tied to the 

 trellis, and the ground raked, or hoed level (all work 

 on it being avoided when it is wet, however), nothing 

 should be done until the buds have burst so as at least 

 to show their vitality and strength. Then go over 

 the vines and rub off all buds which show themselves 

 on the upright stem and horizontal arms and disbud 

 the canes so as to leave six good buds, and no more, 

 on each. By doing this at this early period, the 

 strength of the vine is thrown into the buds which 

 reniain, and they consequently push with increased 

 vigor. The lowest good bud on the short spurs must 

 also be left, all the others being removed. 



As soon as the blossoms show themselves, and 

 before they have expanded, it will be necessary again 

 to go over the vines and stop or pinch all the shoots 



