198 Vineyard Culture. 



is not exactly according to Nature ; and yet, the important 

 facts and principles of the natural habits of the vine are ever 

 borne in mind by the successful cultivator, who will take very 

 good care not to set himself in opposition to them. 



" We now come to the last subdivision of the subject that 

 of summer pruning and training, in order to check the too 

 great extension, or the too late growth of the vine, and for 

 the sake of developing the lower buds, along that part of the 

 cane which will be called upon to produce the fruit-bearing 

 branches. It may be that those who advocate this kind of 

 shortening-in are right. Let us listen to the arguments ad- 

 vanced in its favor. 



" The success of the renewal system, as is generally prac- 

 ticed, whether the vine be trained upon stakes or trellises, al- 

 ways depends upon the suitable development of the renewal- 

 canes, or shoots that are provided for bearing the next crop. 

 To this end, these shoots are encouraged in their growth; 

 they are carefully tied up as they grow ; and they are main- 

 tained in a vertical position, that they may continue to devel- 

 op themselves. All laterals are removed as soon as they ap- 

 pear ; and the tendrils are pinched off, at least so far as the 

 cane is to be retained on the vine, at the winter pruning. At 

 the same time, aspiring shoots in other parts of the vine, are 

 subordinated, 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 



