356 Siunmcr-P riming of the Grape. 



by pinching, as already indicated ; or they are checked by their dependent 

 position, caused by the weight of their fruit. 



With proper care, these canes will reach the top of the stakes or trellis ; 

 and, if strong, they will continue to grow, often for several feet, or even 

 yards. What is now to be done with them ? The Europeans we have 

 among us advise to cut them off at this point. Intelligent American vine- 

 dressers prefer to leave them, and carefully train them from stake to stake, 

 or along the top of the trellis, and at last allow them to hang downward : 

 they also let them produce as many laterals as their vigor may push out. 

 These modes of treatment are diametrically opposite ; and yet there may 

 be good reasons for both. The American, knowing the great vigor of most 

 of the vines he has to deal with, allows them to develop themselves, feel- 

 ing confident that he would commit an injury by attempts to curb their 

 rambling nature too abruptly. He has observed, that where cut off, or 

 broken by a storm at the top of the stakes, the buds, which contain the 

 promise of the next year's vintage would be forced to break, and to pro- 

 duce very strong laterals that blossomed out of season : this he apprehends 

 will be injurious to the next crop. On these strong canes, he has observed 

 no difficulty arising from the want of development of the lower buds, upon 

 which he confidently relies for his fruit the next year. On the contrary, 

 the European, who has often come from the northern limit of grape-culture 

 in his own country, has been taught that in such a situation the plants of 

 the sunny South will continue to grow too late in the season, and that, as 

 a consequence, the buds may not be well developed, nor the wood thorough- 

 ly ripened, unless he artificially checks this late growth by heading off the 

 shoots at a certain height. Under such circumstances, the practice is sound 

 and philosophical ; and it only needs judgment to indicate the proper pe- 

 riod for performing the operation. It may be well for us to obser^^e among 

 our grapes whether some varieties may not be benefited by a similar treat- 

 ment, though it is evident that most kinds are seriously injured by it. 



In conclusion, upon this point it may be said, that, with our vigorous 

 American vines, the canes should be cleared of laterals when quite young, 

 and trained to the top of the support ; then trained horizontally for a cer- 

 tain distance, and allowed to hang downwards. Beyond the top of the 

 stake or trellis, all the laterals should be allowed to grow unrestrained. 



Cleves, o. yo/m A. Warder. 



