FRUITS. CHAP. 



advance on during the summer. When winter comes 

 again, you are to cut off" the four shoots that sent out the 

 bearers during the summer, and leave the four that 

 grew out of the butts. Cut the four shoots that have 

 borne, so as to leave but one bud at the butt. And they 

 will then be sending out wood, while the other four will 

 be sending out fruit. And thus you go on year after year 

 for your life 3 for, as to the vine, it will, if well treated, 

 outlive you and your children to the third, and even 

 thirtieth generation. I think they say, that the vine at 

 Hampton Court, was planted in the reign of King 

 William. During the summer there are two things to be 

 observed, as to pruning. Each of the last years shoots 

 has thirty- two buds, and, of course, it sends out thirty- 

 two shoots with the grapes on them, for the grapes come 

 out of the two first fair buds of these shoots. So that 

 here would be an enormous quantity of wood, if it were 

 all left till the end of summer. But, this must not be. 

 When the grapes get as big as peas, cut off the green 

 shoots that bear them, at two buds distance from the fruit. 

 This is necessary in order to clear the vine from confusion 

 of branches, and also to keep the sap back for the supply 

 of the fruit. These new shoots, that have the bunches 

 on, must be kept tied to the trellis, or else the wind 

 would tear them off. The other thing is, to take care to 

 keep nicely tied to the bars the shoots that are to send 

 forth bearers the next year; and, if you observe any 

 little side-shoots coming out of them, to crop these off as 

 soon as they appear, leaving nothing but the clear, clean 

 shoot. It may be remarked, that the butt, as at b, when 

 it is cut off the next time, will be longer by a bud. That 

 will be so} but, by the third year the vine will be so 



