170 CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 



remove the superfluous clusters at once, in order to pre- 

 serve all the strength of the vine. At Thomery, the 

 checking is very severe ; the branches being allowed to 

 grow but eighteen inches, and the laterals being either 

 rubbed out or stopped at one leaf. Such severe checking 

 has never been practised in this country, that I am aware 

 of; and it is believed that the rampant nature of most of 

 our varieties, and our clear, hot atmosphere, would not 

 allow of so small a quantity of foliage. The general 

 practice is to stop the branch two or three leaves beyond 

 the last bunch, and, as the terminal lateral and a suc- 

 ceeding sub-lateral are developed, to increase the length 

 by a single joint at each checking; thus growing a final 

 length of two and a half to three feet. The force of the 

 ascending sap will be such, that several of the laterals 

 towards the end of the shoot will break. As the eye at 

 the axil is of no consequence, these laterals may be either 

 entirely rubbed out; or stopped at one leaf; the rule vary- 

 ing with different kinds of grapes, according to the amount 

 of foliage. 



So long as we keep to this upright position, this prac- 

 tice of constant checking is our only means of keeping 

 the vine within due bounds; yet it is a very imperfect 

 remedy, as any one who has had experience can testify. 



