58 



VINEYARDS. 



employ in substance one of two modes. One consists 

 in cutting out a portion of the long shoots or canes 

 entirely, the other in cutting off the greater length of 

 all the canes. In the first case there will be a good 

 show of fruit the following year, because a part of the 

 best fruit buds are left, but if the same system be 

 followed out for a few years, the vine requires more 

 and more room to spread itself in every direction. The 

 best fruit is borne at a distance from the centre, and 

 mostly at the top of the vine if any portion of it grows 

 upright, and after a few years the parts of the vine 

 nearest the root become barren, and the fruit is borne 

 only at the extremities. This system must finally run 

 out for want of room, and will not answer for vineyard 

 cultivation. 



In the second plan above mentioned, if all the shoots 

 are cut away for the most of their length, the best fruit 

 buds are lost, and the result is necessarily a poor crop. 

 The vine extends continually, but more slowly than in 

 the other case and is otherwise less satisfactory. 



To overcome these difficulties, that is to get strong 

 fruit buds, and at the same time to keep the vine always 

 at home, I have adopted the plan described. I am not 

 aware that anything connected with it is original with 

 me, for it has been in use essentially for many years. 

 Its practical working is this : As the strength of a vine 

 is expended principally at its extreme ends or top, the 

 whole vine is made to be the top by the system of 

 horizontal arms from which the upright fruit bearing 

 spurs grow, no one having any special advantage over 

 another. The two arms being of equal length and 

 bearing the same number of spurs, are equally balanced. 

 The effect of pinching off the ends of the bearing shoots 



