THE GRAPE. 331 



"What we liave already stated, in page 306, respecting prun- 

 ing will apply equally well here. If the vine is fully exjmsed 

 to the sun it will require very little summer pruning ; in fact, 

 none, except stopping the young shoots three joints beyond the 

 farthest bunch of grapes, at midsummer — for the leaves being 

 intended by nature to elaborate the sap, the more we can retain 

 of them, (without robbing the fruit unduly of fluids expended 

 in making new growth,) the larger and higher flavoured will be 

 the fruit ; careful experiments having proved that there is no 

 more successful mode of impoverishing the crop of fruit than 

 that of pulling off the leaves. 



In the axils of the leaves by the side of the buds, which are 

 to send forth shoots for next season's crops — branches called 

 laterals push forth which should be pinched off at the first 

 leaf — and at the next leaf where they start again ; generally the 

 second stopping will be sufficient. 



The annual pruning of the hardy grapes is usually per- 

 formed during mild days in February or March — at least a 

 month before vegetation is likely to commence. Many cul- 

 tivators prefer to prune their vines in November, and, except 

 for cold latitudes or exposures, this is undoubtedly the better 

 season. 



Every third year, at least, the borders where the vines are 

 growing should have a heavy top-dressing of manure. The 

 vine soon exhausts the soil within its reach, and ceases beaiing 

 well when that is the case. We have frequently seen old and 

 impoverished vines entirely resuscitated by digging in about 

 the roots, as far as they extend, a very heavy top-dressing of 

 slightly fermented stable manure. 



Vineyard Culture. While many persons who have either 

 made or witnessed the failures in raising the foreign grapes in 

 vineyards in this country, believe it is folly for us to attempt 

 to compete with France and Germany in wine-making, some of 

 our western citizens, aided by skilful Swiss and German vine- 

 dressers — emigrants to this country, have placed the fact of 

 profitable vineyard culture beyond a doubt, in the valley of the 

 Ohio. The Anneyards on the Ohio, now covering many acres, 

 produce regular, and very large crops, and their wine of the 

 different characters of Madeira, Hock, and Champagne, brings 

 very readily from 75 cents to one dollar a gallon in Cincinnati. 

 The Swiss, at Vevay, first commenced wine-making in the 

 West, but to the zeal and fostering care of N. Longworth, Esq., 

 of Cincinnati, one of the most energetic of western horticul- 

 turists, that district of country owes the firm basis on which 

 the vine culture is now placed. The native grapes — chiefly 

 the Catawba — are entirely used there, and as many parts of 

 the middle States are quite as favourable as the banks of the 

 Ohio for these varieties, the much greater yield of these grapes 



