148 'CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 



two inches above it ; this being nearly the thickness of 

 the strip. Thus the shoots will have a slight upward in- 

 clination at first, and will have support by a tie at the 

 wires, six or eight inches from the cane. The weight of 

 fruit will rest upon the wires ; while the weight of growth 

 beyond the outer wires, a length of sixteen to twenty 

 inches, will incline downwards. Possibly strong-growing 

 kinds might find advantage in another outer wire, which 

 could easily be added. When the rows are six, or even 

 five feet apart, this form will not prevent the use of the 

 horse-hoe in the spring, and until growth is advanced. 



The question occurs, At what points of the compass is it 

 most desirable to run the trellis rows? The north and 

 south line has many advocates, and so also has the east 

 and west, both sides giving weighty reasons for their pref- 

 erence. For the north and south line, it is said, that, dur- 

 ing some part of the day, the sun shines on all sides of the 

 trellis, the east side in the forenoon, and the west side in 

 the afternoon ; while at mid-day it warms the soil on both 

 sides. The advocates of the east and west line claim that 

 the sun will send its beams aslant between the trellises at 

 its very first appearance in the morning, and its last rays 

 at night ; that during the cold and dewy morning hours, 

 when light and warmth are much more important than at 



