THE STRAWBERRY- GARDEN. 195 



" Can't see what?" said a voice near by. Turning 

 round they beheld their sister. 



"This plaguy pruning. The book says it must be done 

 in the fall. It's time now, and I can't make anything of 

 it." 



" Let me see the book." 



Johnny handed the open book to Mary, and she began to 

 study it intently. 



"It is rather obscure. The writer seems to think we 

 know all about it; whereas, we know nothing." 



" Any way," said Kate, " I did it once, and made it look 

 just like the picture." 



" So you did; but still I don't understand it. Let us 

 read more. We may find something yet. Here's a chapter 

 on pruning. Let me study it." 



So she did, and all to no purpose. 



Johnny and Kate stood idle for a while, and then Mary 

 said slowly, u I think I see through it." 



Reading, " The grape produces its fruit upon the wood 

 of the current year. This grows upon the wood of the 

 previous year. Therefore, in pruning, cut back to a good 

 bud near the old wood. That is say, I suppose, the bunches 

 hang on wood of the current year, whatever that may 

 mean." . 



"That's simple as pie-crust," said Kate. "See, there 

 is a bad bun.ch still hanging on the vine. The shoot it 

 grows upon must be what they call the current year's wood." 



