1%6 



grow on them this ye&v, as it will injure the fruitfulness of the 

 vine for coming seasons. At the fall pruning, these uprights 

 should be cut back, the strongest to four or five fleet, and the 

 weak ones, to one or two buds, from which to lead new uprights; 

 the shoot at the end of the arms can be pruned if strong, to four 

 or five feet, as from this the vine is to be extended, and new up- 

 rights to be taken, till we arrive at the end of the space to be 

 covered ; after this the vine is protected for the winter. The fol- 

 lowing spring— the fourth from the setting of the vine, — it will 

 be old enough to bear fruit from the upright canes ; and this 

 leads us to a question, whether the vine this summer will need any 

 pruning, some thinking that summer pruning is injurious, and 

 that the removal of the shoots or leaves, tends to spoil the fla- 

 vor of the fruit. This is right in theory, for if we take off 

 the leaves of a vine or tree, or if they are destroyed by mil- 

 dew, we know the fruit will be worthless, but notwithstanding, 

 we would recommend judicious summer pruning as absolutely 

 necessary where we have not space for the vine to grow natu- 

 rally ; as for instance, over some large tree, where it has plen- 

 ty of room to extend itself, and get the fall benefit of sun and 

 air ; and we think those who advocate letting a viije grow in 

 summer without pruning, on a small trellis which is intended 

 to be well filled with fruit from top to bottom, would find in 

 practice, that their theory although correct, could not be 

 well followed v/ith profit ; and therefore we would recommend 

 summer pruning properly performed, as being a very impor- 

 tant part of the art of cultivating the grape with success ; and 

 this now cqrries us back to our vine, which had been regularly 

 pruned every year in the fall, but has now arrived to the state, 

 when it is about to need summer pruning. The uprights, if 

 strong, will now begin to push shoots from the buds along their 

 side, each of these shoots will probably have from one to four' 

 bunches of fruit, but we should not allow more than two upon 

 the stronger and but one on the more feeble shoots to remain, 

 or if we take off from every other, or alternate shoot, the vine 

 will be the better for it. 



