The Cultivation of the Grape Vine. 61 



way during the growing season, and " spnr"-pruned in the 

 fall. In the autumn of 1851, the vine had five canes (or 

 branches) from fourteen to eighteen feet in length ; but one 

 being somewhat injured by mice the preceding winter, and 

 the canes rather too near together on the trellis, I cut it off, 

 leaving four canes, which, after covering the ground well 

 with stable manure and boards, were loosened from the trellis, 

 let down upon the boards, and covered with spruce limbs for 

 the winter. [It will probably be recollected, that our corre- 

 spondent, Mr. A. Johnston, Jr., in his excellent article on the 

 vine, (XVI, p. 548,) states that the Isabella requires protec- 

 tion at Wiscasset, and probably in most parts of Maine. Ed.] 



In the spring, the vines were uncovered as early as the 

 season would admit, — early in April ; but they were left 

 down until the last of May, as they suffer less from the cold 

 winds in that position than they would upon the trellis ; be- 

 sides, it is supposed the sap flows better through the canes, 

 and, consequently, that the buds put forth more uniformly. 

 After securing the vines upon the lattice, — which is twelve 

 feet high and twenty-five feet long, at the south end of the 

 house, and eighteen inches from it, — I commenced weeding it, 

 leaving but one shoot or fruiting branch to each eye or joint, 

 and these were secured from time to time, as they advanced, to 

 the trellis. The flowers did not make their appearance till 

 the 2d of June, and the middle of July, the fruit being 

 formed, I took off all but two bunches from every strong 

 shoot, and reduced others of weak growth still more. I have 

 been in the habit, before last season, of shortening in the 

 young fruit wood at the second leaf or joint above the fruit, 

 but the present season I have let all grow excepting such as 

 injured the symmetry of the vine, they growing from five to 

 twelve feet before September, when they were all shortened 

 in about one quarter of their growth. 



The fruit was gathered the 20th of October, having been 

 protected from the cold winds and frost one month by an 

 awning of cotton cloth. I have pruned again this month, 

 November, as usual, cutting all the fruit wood, or nearly all, 

 to within one or two joints of the main canes, leaving the 



