CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 305 



summer-pinching to a greater extreme in the house than 

 in open-air culture and upon our native varieties. The 

 vines being but four feet apart at most, the whole length 

 of the branch must be less than two feet. The usual rule 

 is to pinch the shoot, at first, three leaves above the 

 bunch, leaving one leaf to each lateral; as it develops, 

 rubbing out the laterals below the fruit, but not the 

 one opposite the bunch. At the end of the branch, 

 the sub-laterals may develop a single leaf at each course 

 of pinching. This work should be done regularly, so as 

 never to require the removal of full-grown leaves. Dur- 

 ing inflorescence, the house should be kept dry, with a 

 free admission of air for Muscat varieties, which set their 

 fruit imperfectly. Nearly all foreign varieties set their 

 fruit so compactly as to require thinning. This work is 

 done with long-pointed scissors, commencing as soon as 

 the berries are large enough to see that they are impreg- 

 nated. It is often the case that two-thirds of the berries 

 will require to be cut out, selecting those which are 

 within and are likely to crowd. In the fall, water is 

 withheld, for the sake of the fruit as well as of the wood. 

 The vine may now remain the full length of the rafter, 

 and be allowed to bear three-fourths of a crop the 'follow- 

 ing season. One bunch for each branch is quite sufficient ; 



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