308 GR.VPE CULTURE AND WINE-MAKING. 



points Lave been mentioned. The best adapted are year-old root- 

 ed vines, then follow cuttings. When rooted vines are planted, 

 all the fine roots toward the top of the vine should be trimmed 

 off, the remainder trimmed to about four or six inches in length. 

 In regard to the age required for rooted vines, opinions differ 

 much. Some prefer three and four year old ; but it is generally 

 conceded that the finer roots of year-old vines are more apt to be 

 successful. It is well to mark the place of each planted vine with 

 a little stick, to prevent it from being covered when the ground is 

 again cultivated. 



Treatment of young Yhies. 



The main care and object are to have tte vine form a strong 

 and healthy head. It has been proved that the stouter and more 

 healthy the head of a vine is, the more durable and fruitful are 

 the vines. 



To form this head of a vine, the young shoot should be entire- 

 ly cut off, or close off to the old wood. By this process the dor- 

 mant buds will start, which produce beautiful strong shoots. Dur- 

 ing the summer the ground is kept clean and loose, to promote 

 the growth of the 3^oung plants. If these vines grow more than 

 two or three shoots, the others are broken off. It is better not to 

 tie these young shoots, as they will grow stouter when exposed 

 to the wind. The third spring the vines are pruned down to one 

 or two buds, according to their strength. During the summer the 

 ground is kept clean. 



The fourth spring, the vines should be allowed to have about 

 four shoots, each of four buds ; a uniformity should be looked to, 

 the branches should spread, and, if possible, be of equal height. 



In poorer soil, the forming of a head on a vine is attended with 

 more difiiculty. 



Metliods of Training and Pruning Yines. 



The different methods of training vines may be divided into 

 three classes : 1. Without any props, or free. 2. Trained on props. 

 3. On trellises. 



In the first class come all grape varieties which are trained low 

 on the ground, and such as require this system, as Eiesling, red 

 Traminer, etc. In the second class, in rich soil, the same varieties, 

 the black Clavncr, Rulander, etc. In the third class, varieties 

 which grow considerable wood, and require to be pruned long; 

 as a few sorts of the Chasselas, Trollinger, and others. 



For vineyard purposes those methods are best in which the 

 grapes are brought as near the ground as possible. The more 

 this is the case, the more early will the blooming set in, as well as 

 the ripening of the grapes; and wine produced from such grapes 

 will be heavy and spirituous. The ripening of the grapes de- 

 pends not so much upon the direct action of the sun as upon the 



