318 AMERICAN GRAPE CULTURE. 



growth just as soon as the vital force of the 

 plant is concentrated upon them by cutting 

 away the parts above. 



Opposite Arms. The French, with character- 

 istic ingenuity and love of system, have a fond- 

 ness for growing vines with the arms and spurs 

 opposite each other: they have utilized the 

 method beyond all other people. In the case 

 of arms, they proceed from the same level ; and 

 in the case of spurs, they are directly opposite 

 each other on upright stocks. It involves some 

 time and trouble, but will, no doubt, interest the 

 novice, and we therefore propose to explain and 

 illustrate the method by which it is done, leav- 

 ing the reader to apply it according to his con- 

 venience and taste. 



Let us, for an example, take a cane at the end 

 of the first year, such as is shown in Fig. 23, p. 

 65, and cut it down to two buds. Select the 

 strongest cane, and rub the other off. When 

 the new cane has grown from twelve to eighteen 

 inches above the point where it is desired to 

 have the arms, cut the cane off at this point. 

 Action, in this case, has been arrested ; the vital 

 principle has been checked in its upward course. 

 For a moment, as it were, it seems quiet, but it is 

 only to gather at all points with renewed energy. 



