THE GUAPE. 155 



will peal ; tliese, while answer! npf a present purpose, will be of 

 short duration. 



PRUNING. 



On this5 subject there is great diversity of opinion, and the limits 

 of this work will not permit of a lengthy treatise on the subject. 

 It is proper to say, that the tendency to vine-growth is a check to 

 fruiting ; and that cultivators consider it necessary to countei*act 

 this excessive growth by pinching and pruning. Many carry this 

 practice to excess ; and wvth spring and summer pinching, and fall 

 and winter pruning, we believe very materially injure their vines. 



In this description of the pruning process, we shall condense from 

 various treatises on the subject. Buchanan, a practical Cincinnati 

 vineyardist of several years ago, says : 



" In the second spring after planting, cut down to two or three 

 eyes, or joints, and the third year to four or five ; pincliing off later- 

 als and tying up. * * Pruning the fourth year requires good 

 judgment, as the standard stem or stalk has to be established. * * 

 Select the best stem or cane of last year, and cut it down to six or 

 eight joints ; * * the other cane cut down to a spur of two or three 

 eyes, to make bearing wood for the next season " 



His mode has reference to tying to upright stakes, instead of 

 trellis, and must be varied accordingly. He says : "In the succeed- 

 ing and all subsequent years, cut away the old bearing wood, and 

 form a new bow, or arch, from the best branch of the new wood of 

 the last year, leaving a spur as before, to produce bearing wood for 

 the coming year ; thus keeping the old stalk of the vine down to 

 within eighteen to twenty-four inches from the ground. The vine 

 is then always within reach and control." This is the renewal 

 system. 



Spur pruning consists in continuing the old or main stem, and 

 annually cutting back the laterals to two or three good buds. A 

 blending of the two is often practiced. 



For summer pruning, we can do no better than to quote from 

 Husmann, a noted grape-grower and writer in Missouri. He says : 



" We are glad to see that the attention of the grape-growers of 

 the country is thoroughly aroused to the importance of this subject. 

 and that the practice of cutting and slashing the young growth in 

 July and August is generally discounrenanced. It has murdered 



