138 THE GRAPE CULTURIST. 



we have nine hundred and five vines on an acre ; now 

 seventy-two bunches to the vine (which every vine will 

 bear if it is a productive variet} T , and if it is not it had 

 better be discarded at once, unless it possesses some extra- 

 ordinary quality which makes up for loss in quantity) will 

 give us 65,160 bunches to the acre; the weight of course 

 will vary according to the size of the bunch. Thirty 

 pounds to the vine the fourth year is not an unusual crop for 

 such varieties as the Concord, Hartford Prolific, Catawba, 

 Isabella, etc. But it is not best to let the vines bear too 

 much while young, as the quality of the fruit will not be 

 as good as though a less quantity were taken ; besides, it 

 is very likely to severely check the growth of the vine. 



Varieties that are not as strong and rapid growers as 

 those named, may be planted nearer together, say six feet 

 apart in the row, and the rows only five feet apart, and it 

 is not necessary that the trellis should be so high by half a 

 foot, at least ; two feet and a half between the bars will be 

 sufficient for many of the shorter jointed varieties. Some- 

 times the vines are planted more than eight feet apart, and 

 only a part of the arm is formed the first year, and the up- 

 right cane nearest the end is laid down the second year, 

 and the arm thus lengthened in this way until the required 

 length is obtained. But having tried both, I much prefer 

 planting the vines so near together that arms can be formed 

 to fill up the space at once. 



Four feet is about as long as it is safe to lay down a 

 cane at one time and have all the buds start evenly. 



When the vine becomes old and very strong, the amount 

 of fruit may be increased by pruning, so as to leave three 

 buds upon the spurs, as is shown in Fig. 49 ; this will in- 

 crease the crop one third. But there is danger of losing 

 the lower bud if we increase the number beyond this, as 

 we find that the tendency of the sap is continually to the 

 upper bud ; and when there are several left on the spur, 

 the lower one is apt to be robbed by those above it, and 



