174 



THE GRAPE CULTURIST. 



about 1745, by Col. Buchatt, of Metz, in France. For 

 this he was awarded a premium by the Agricultural 

 Society of France. It was claimed that the invention 

 would be of great value in hastening the maturity of the 

 grape, as well as improving the quality ; but it is doubt- 

 ful if either of these results has been obtained in its 

 practice. 



Removing the Leaves. There are many persons, 

 in cities especially, who are in the habit of removing a 



portion of the leaves from their 

 grapevines just before the fruit 

 begins to ripen, for the pur- 

 pose, as they say, of hastening 

 it. This is, perhaps, one of 

 the most absurd ideas that 

 could be possibly entertained, 

 as the grape ripens better in 

 the shade than when exposed 

 to the sun ; besides, the ripen- 

 ing process is conducted almost 

 entirely by the leaves, the 

 grape being one of those fruits 

 that must be ripened on the 

 vine or not at all ; and if it is 

 picked before ripe, the process 

 is immediately stopped, there 

 being no further improvement 

 in flavor. If the leaves near the fruit are taken off, 

 ripening is not only checked, but often entirely stopped. 

 The fruit that is exposed to the direct rays of the 

 sun after the leaves have been taken away may change 

 its color, but it seldom ripens. It is not only necessary 

 that there should be good healthy leaves on the fruiting 

 cane, but they should be near the fruit. Every one who 

 has seen grapes upon the vine must have observed that 

 there is always a leaf opposite to every bunch of fruit; 



FIG. 62. 



