146 THE GRAPE CULTUKIST. 



Whenever any of the upright canes show a weakness, 

 the pinching may be deferred until they gain the required 

 strength. If the ends have already been pinched off, 

 then leave two or three of the upper laterals to grow out 

 for a foot or more, and this will cause an extra flow of 

 sap into such canes, and thus we may check one cane 

 and encourage another. In this manner we can readily 

 control the forces of the vine, directing them to which- 

 ever part best suits our purpose. 



In checking the growth of vigorous vines, especially 

 when young, we will sometimes cause the main buds on 

 the young canes to throw out fruit branches in the latter 

 part of the season, and on these will appear a second 

 crop of fruit. This, of course, is of no value, because 

 there is not sufficient time for it to ripen, even if the 

 strength of the vine would admit of its doing so. I men- 

 tion the fact only because some inexperienced persons 

 may be alarmed by seeing a second crop appearing upon 

 the vine in autumn. This second crop is certainly pro- 

 duced from buds that would, under ordinary circum- 

 stances, remain dormant until another year, but check- 

 ing the growth has forced them out before the proper 

 time. If every main bud on the young canes is forced 

 into growth except the two or three lower ones, no harm 

 is done, for these last are all that are needed ; the others 

 we prune off at the end of the season. There is little 

 danger of the lower buds starting, particularly on fruit- 

 ing canes. I have often severely checked fruiting vines, 

 sometimes stopping the young canes at the fourth bud, 

 but even this did not cause the lower two buds to start. 

 And when the canes are not pinched until they have 

 produced their fifth to eighth leaf, as I have recom- 

 mended as the general rule, then there is not the least 

 danger of any of the lower buds pushing prematurely 

 into growth. 



If the young canes are allowed to grow unchecked, 

 the lower bud upon them will seldom become sufficiently 



