184 CULTURE O t? THE GRAPE. 



practice to "The Cottage Gardener," adds as follows: 

 " By thus practising ringing, I have produced, for the last 

 twelve or fourteen years, grapes out of doors, that have 

 puzzled many a tyro, and others too. Our indefatigable 

 editors have both watched my progress in vine-culture 

 for years. My grapes have many a time puzzled the late 

 Mr. Elphinstone, when he was gardener to the late Speaker 

 of the House of Commons, now Lord Eversley, although 

 I used to compete against him with both in-door and out- 

 door grapes." This quotation is made to show that the 

 practice has been carried on for years with the best suc- 

 cess. The question will now be asked, if this practice is 

 to be recommended. It is undoubtedly better suited for 

 the alternate long-spur mode of training than for the 

 short-spur. The branch that has been ringed is to be cut 

 away in the fall at any rate. The new shoot will not be 

 materially affected by the process. When this alternate 

 system is practised, and when there is a desire for early 

 grapes of extra size, it is perfectly practicable and advisa- 

 ble to ring a portion of the branches. Still, it requires 

 but the reflection of a moment to perceive that the prac- 

 tice is against Nature's law, and that a too extensive 

 application of the principle would be fatal even to the 

 life of the vine. It is an established law, that a plant re- 



