2o8 Grape-Culture. * 



to take the lead, and equalizes their growth. From one of the lower 

 buds a shoot is selected the next spring, and kept tied up during the sum- 

 mer, for a fruit-cane the next season. The buds on the bow are allowed 

 to bear in proportion to the age and vigor of the parent vine. 



It is impossible to state accurately the amount of fruit a vine should 

 be allowed to bear ; but it may be safely asserted that it is never injured 

 by bearing too little. On the other hand, the most serious evils result 

 from bearing too much. The influence of cultivation upon all productive 

 varieties is to induce over-bearing. If this tendency is not restrained, the 

 ability of the vine is so over-taxed, that, at the end of the season, its crop 

 of fruit is inferior in size and appearance, unevenly and imperfectly ripened, 

 and of far less value for any useful purpose than if only one-fourth the 

 quantity had been retained. The loss of the present crop is, however, 

 only one of the least of the evils which result from over-bearing ; for the 

 vital energies of the vine are so impaired by its exhaustive efforts to ripen 

 its over-burden of fruit, that it will require years of careful treatment to 

 restore its vigor. Its wood-growth is at the same time rendered weak and 

 immature, easily injured by the cold of the succeeding winter. Or, if it 

 passes this in comparative safety, the whole vine will have become so en- ' 

 feebled, that its next season's crop will be scanty and imperfect, subject to 

 attacks of mildew and rot, which a vigorous and healthy vine would have 

 been able to resist. 



Well-developed buds on strong canes, at their spring growth, usually 

 show three bunches of fruit on the third, fourth, and fifth joints from the 

 main stem. On young vines, it is best to pinch off the two smaller bunches 

 as soon as they are sufficiently advanced to determine' which are the largest 

 and strongest, leaving but one bunch to each fruit-bearing lateral. As 

 these laterals progress, pinch off the end of each shoot as soon as three or 

 four leaves are found beyond the fruit-bunch. This pinching, or stopping, 

 diverts the sap from wood-growth to the fruit, and also strengthens the 

 cane, which is to be kept tied up during the season for next year's bearing. 



At the fall-pruning, the bow which has borne its crop of fruit is cut 

 away, and the new cane shortened back according to its vigor and ability, 

 and made the bow of promise for the coming year. 



The stake or bow system is not recommended as the best, but is used 

 as a means of illustrating one of the simplest forms of culture. By this 



