272 Siinimer-Pnming of the Grape. 



SUMMER-PRUNING OF THE GRAPE. 



At the winter-meeting of the Lake-shore Grape-growers' Association, at 

 Cleveland, O., there were present some of the most intelligent men of the 

 country who are engaged in this interesting branch of cultivation. The 

 discussions were directed to the practical questions which are constantly 

 arising in a new line of business ; and were of value to those present, as 

 will appear in the report of the society, soon to be published. 



Among the topics discussed, one of the most important was that of 

 summer-pruning. Many of the members were loud in their denunciations 

 of the practice as it is often pursued in the vineyards, particularly where 

 these are managed by European vine-dressers. Some went so far as to 

 say that they preferred to let their vines go without any pruning at all, 

 rather than to have them subjected to such a terrible " summer slaughtering " 

 as was occasionally to be seen. They pleaded for the leaves, claiming that 

 they were necessary to elaborate the sap, to perfect the crop of fruit, and 

 to ripen the wood and the roots for the future healthiness of the plant. 



After a full expression of similar views by these tender-hearted vine- 

 dressers, who adopted the motto, "Laissez faire" in regard to summer treat- 

 ment, a member, who has long had extensive opportunities for practice and 

 observation in the vineyard, stated that he should advise a middle course, 

 consisting of judicious and systematic, but perhaps some would think 

 severe summerpruning, as the best method of directing the sap into the 

 proper channels, and of increasing the production of large leaves, good 

 fruit, and of healthy, vigorous shoots, where they were needed for the re- 

 newal of the vine. These results he preferred to the extremes that had 

 been alluded to, — the sacrificing of the growth and foliage on the one hand, 

 such as had been styled " summer slaughtering ; " or, on the other extreme, 

 allowing an indiscriminate and profuse production of shoots and leaves, 

 that must interfere with the perfect development of the vine and the proper 

 ripening of the fruit. 



He claimed, that, by a proper performance of the different operations 

 which make up the summer-pruning of the vine, in our attempts to furnish 



