50 



from which four bearing canes will spring from four buds which arc to be retained 

 for the purpose. At a, on a short spur, may be seen two buds, only the upj^er one 

 of which will be retained to form a shoot. The lower bud will be rubbed olf, or 

 rather the shoot which it will produce, as soon as the upper one sliall be secured to a 

 stake, and free from danger of being blown off b}^ the wind. The same also may be 

 said of all but four of the buds on tlie cane that is to form the arm, Plate 40 shows 

 the appearance which it will present, with the cane laid down for the first season's 

 arm, the butls being entire. The four small lines standing above the buds represent 

 the canes which will be produced from them at the end of the season. 



To prune for the next season, (see Plate No. 46,) cut all of these canes, except the 

 ones at the extreme left and right, so as to leave but one well-developed bud. The 

 one at the right is to bear two buds, (a spur with two buds,) and the one at the left 

 is to be laid down to complete the arm of the desired length, which may be about 

 three feet or a little more, according to the distance of the vines in the rows, and this 

 will be in a measure governed by the size and habit of the vines which are planted, 

 or they may be short-jointed or otherwise. From the short end or spur with, two 

 buds, two shoots will this year be taken. All of these shoots are supposed to have 

 borne two or three bunches each, according to the judgment of the vineyardist — two 

 bunches perhaps being the safer number, although no apprehension need be had from 

 the greatest number that can be taken, according to this plan, from strong, well-man- 

 aged vines; and this nray be regarded as one of the excellencies of the system, that 

 while a good crop may be always confidently expected, a ruinous one can scarcely 

 be taken. It has other great advantages, which we will not now consider. 



We will suppose the vines are trained in a single row before a fence or wall not 

 more than four feet in hight, where it is desirable to make the most of shelter or 

 early ripening of the fruit. See Plate ISTo. 55. 



Both canes of Plate No. 46 will be cut at c c, and at the end of the season will pro- 

 duce the appearance shown in Plate No. 47. These arms arc supposed to be a little 

 less than two feet in length, and if the vines arc planted four feet apart, which for 

 Delaware is a good distance, the system may be considered fully established, but the 

 vines will not be in full bearing until all or a part of the spurs are furnished with two 

 shoots each. 



To grow two canes or double canes, at pruning make two-bud spurs, and of conrse 

 for one shoot cut to one bud. If the vines are planted more than four feet apart, a 

 longer time will be required to establish the system and bring them into full bearing; 

 for not more than two feet of arm can be produced in one season ami remain perma- 

 nently productive. The arms are lengthened by laying down the end canes, c c, in a 

 horizontal position, and cutting to the desired length always, not to exceed two feet 

 at each end, in one season. 



If this plan of two arms is adopted, no long canes need be taken, but while the 

 vines are young and very vigorous, more than three or four leaves must be made 

 above the upper bunch before "stopping," or the next season's fruit will appear in 

 autumn of the current year. It must be borne in mind also that the fruit will not set 

 well on young vines if the stopping is too early or too severe ; for too much energy 

 of growth tends so strongly to wood that the blossoms become abortive. 



Plate No. 4S. 



Plate No. 48 represents the plan which has just been described, before any shoots 

 have pushed forth. By cutting at a, the system of spur and arm, or, if it is desired, 

 the spur and bow, may be formed by bending the cane or arm. We shall herenfter 

 describe this more fully with appropriate cuts, but not to recommend it as nearly 

 equal to that which we liave just described, for the vineyard for wine, and for the 

 vineyard only is it admissible. 



We may here remark that many systems which vary but little in principle, although 



