CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 271 



raont, and Delaware, will develop their berries to a larger 

 size if the bunches are somewhat thinned. For the pur- 

 pose of raising a few bunches of superior quality, this is a 

 very desirable practice. This work should be done soon 

 after the clusters have gone out of blossom and have 

 taken their first swelling. From one-quarter to one-half 

 of the berries may be cut out, selecting those which stand 

 inside of the contour of the cluster, and leaving those 

 which remain evenly arranged at the extremities of the 

 peduncle. The work is done with a pair of long, slender- 

 pointed scissors made expressly for this work. An expert 

 hand will go over the grapes quite rapidly ; and it is often 

 desirable, when the season has been favorable foi: the set- 

 ting of fruit, to go over many of our varieties, thinning 

 out some bunches, and removing defective clusters and 

 the surplus quantity. 



THINNESS THE FOLIAGE. 



It has been the practice of some, as the fruit approached 

 maturity, to remove some of the dense shade, and allow 

 the sun to warm and ripen the fruit. When the wood 

 has been allowed to grow throughout the summer with- 

 out checking, the foliage is undoubtedly in excess, and 



