SPRING PRUNING SPUR SYSTEM. 117 



Vineyards planted in low valleys have generally been aban- 

 doned. The fruit is almost always killed by spring frosts. 

 The average quantity of wine per acre is about 200 gallons ; 

 this, I mean, for an average of different years. I have 

 known them to rot so badly as not to produce 50 gallons. 

 One thing I have never yet known a vineyard to suffer 

 much from the rot the fourth year the crop is always good. 

 The juice is generally sold from the press at from 70 to 80 

 cents per gallon, to vintners in Louisville, Cincinnati and New 

 Albany. 



My attention was called, a few years ago, to a grape which 

 has been cultivated here for the last forty years, and is, I 

 think, a native. It is about the size, shape and color of the 

 Cape, but, in my opinion, superior to the Catawba, as a table 

 grape. It is a vigorous grower, and entirely free from rot, 

 but somewhat liable to crack when exposed to the sun. 



T. WARE GIBSON. 

 Charleston, Ind., Feb. 26, 1850. 



SPRING PRUNING SPUR SYSTEM. 



The following letter on this subject will be read with inter- 

 est by vine-dressers. Mr. SLEATH is one of our best prac- 

 tical horticulturists. He had charge of Mr. LONGWORTH'S 

 green-house and garden for many years. 

 R. BUCHANAN: 



SIR. At your request I now give you the method of spring 

 pruning which I have lately adopted in my vineyard, and 

 which I believe to be the best. It may be called the alter- 

 nate spur system, for want of a more descriptive name. The 

 method is simply this : Instead of training only two canes to 

 the stake for bearing wood, as pursued in the bow system, 

 train three or four. Then, in the ensuing spring, cut down 

 to two or three eyes, and train three or four canes for bear- 

 ing the next year, from the lower bud, or that next the 



