Other Operations. 199 



laterals as their vigor may push out. These modes of treat- 

 ment 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 devel- 

 op themselves, feeling 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, are forced to break, and to produce 

 very strong laterals, that blossom 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 Eu- 

 ropean, 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 thoroughly ripened, 

 unless he artificially checks this late growth, by heading off 

 the shoots at a certain hight. Under such circumstances, 

 the practice is sound and philosophical ; and it only needs 

 judgment to indicate the proper period for performing the 

 operation. It may be well for us to observe, among our 

 grapes, whether some varieties may not be benefitted by a 

 similar treatment, though it is evident that most kinds are se- 

 riously 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 sup- 

 port ; then trained horizontally for a certain distance, and al- 

 lowed to hang downward. Beyond the top of the stake or 

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



