146 CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 



found number-thirteen wire to be quite strong enough; 

 this number yielding about forty-five feet to the pound, 

 and costing six cents per pound in Boston in 1862. An 

 ordinary pair of nippers and a hammer are all the tools 

 necessary for putting up the wires. With the nippers, cut 

 pieces from the wire two inches in length, first bending 

 the pieces at the centres. These pieces are for staples, 

 which will answer every purpose, and can readily be 

 formed and sharpened with a hammer in a rainy day at 

 much less cost than they can be bought. The wire, being 

 fastened to the post at one end of the row, is stretched to 

 the post at the other end, and with the nippers drawn 

 tightly around it, and made fast. It will be an easy mat- 

 ter to slacken the wire at the fall-pruning in order to 

 avoid the strain of contraction during cold weather. The 

 strand being made fast to the posts at both ends, it only 

 remains to secure it to each of the intervening posts by 

 driving the staples. As soon as the trellis is finished, the 

 wires should be painted with common paraffine varnish, 

 which costs from sixty cents to a dollar per gallon, and 

 which quantity would be sufficient for an extensive vine- 

 yard. A stiff swab of woollen cloth will make the best 

 brush. It can be drawn with long strokes, covering the 

 wire very rapidly. This varnish, when applied every 



