Other Operations. 191 



formation in the course of the year, upon this as well as upon 

 many other branches of Horticulture and rural affairs : 



" 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 cul- 

 tivation. The discussions were directed to the practical ques- 

 tions which are constantly arising in a new line of business ; 

 and were of value to those present, as will appear in the re- 

 port 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 they are managed by Euro- 

 pean vine-dressers. Some went so far as to say that they pre- 

 ferred to let their vines go without any pruning at all, rather 

 than to have them subjected to such a terrible "summer slaugh- 

 tering " 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 treatment, a member, who has long had 

 extensive opportunities for practice and observation, in the 

 vineyard, stated that he should advise a middle course, con- 

 sisting of judicious and systematic, but perhaps some would 

 think severe summer pruning, as the best method of directing the 

 sap into the proper channels, and of increasing the production 

 of large leaves, good fruit, and healthy, vigorous shoots, where 

 they were needed for the renewal 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 

 has been styled "summer slaughtering;" or, on the other ex- 



