THE GRAPE. 



415 



the foliage, lessening its health and vigor, and drawing 

 strength from the vine. The process of rubbing off is gener- 

 ally begun quite early in summer, or by the time the first 

 shoots are but a few inches in length; and it should be con- 

 tinued or repeated as long as any intruding shoots spring from 

 the vine. In commercial work, summer pinching is not em- 

 ployed. It entails too much subsequent thinning. 



MODIFICATIONS OF TRAINING. 



But one mode has been described, namely, that represented 

 in Fig. 558. Some cultivators adopt a modification of this 



FIG. 565. 



plan, by employing a single horizontal arm, extended in one 

 direction only (Fig. 565), instead of the two arms on opposite 

 sides. This mode appears to succeed well, and is regarded 



FIG. 566. Thomery System. 



as simpler than the other. Another mode is what is termed 

 the Thomery system, and is represented in the foregoing fig- 

 ure (Fig. 566); Its object is to cover a higher trellis where 

 the ground is limited, or to extend the vine over the walls of 

 buildings. It obviates the difficulty of two or more horizon- 

 tal arms, one above the other, on the same vine, by allowing 

 but a single arm from each, as will be seen by inspecting the 



