PRUNING AND TREATMENT OP A YOUNG VINEYARD. 



At the regular fall or winter pruning, this shoot should be 

 shortened to about three or four eyes, according to the strength 

 of the plant, and where very weak, it would be best to leave 

 but two eyes, observing always to cut off the shoot three 

 inches above the uppermost eye of those that are to remain. 

 During the second summer, there will be no further attention 

 necessary, but to keep down the lateral shoots ; in doing which, 

 you should proceed thus : ^Having left two of the most pro- 

 mising shoots, and rubbed off all the others, continue to ex- 

 amine the vines every two or three weeks, and carefully prune 

 off all lateral shoots whatever, throughout the season ; in 

 doing which, I have found it of advantage, where the lateral 

 shoot was strong, to leave the first joint remaining, that it may 

 take off the superfluous sap, and prevent the bursting of the 

 main bud, which should not push out till the ensuing season. 

 These single joints thus left remaining, can be altogether taken 

 off at the final pruning. This course will bring you to the 

 conclusion of the second season, when at the autumnal prun- 

 ing you should proceed as follows : To the very strong vines, 

 I would leave eight buds ; to those less so, six ; and, to those 

 which still seem quite weak, from three to four buds, accord- 

 ing to your own judgment on the subject. 



During the third summer from three to four shoots may be 

 left, and the same precautions used in suppressing laterals, &c. 

 as before prescribed, and they can in autumn be pruned down 

 to such number of buds as you consider the vine calculated 

 to sustain. There is another point to be considered in the 

 pruning operation, which is, to preserve about an equal pro- 

 portion of wood for each side of the vine, for where a great 

 difference is made in this respect, the sap is apt to be drawn 

 too much to the stronger one, and thereby weaken and im- 

 poverish the other. 



In pruning, the knife should be made to enter at the side 

 opposite the uppermost bud left, which will cause the highest 

 part of the slope to be above the eye, by which any bleeding 

 or drops of rain will pass off at the lower side of the slope 

 without injury to the bud. At the fourth pruning the vine 



