238 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



Last summer we cleaned out all the water, and on going down we found 

 the wall cracked in several places by the roots of the tree pushing through, 

 and even as low down as sixteen feet. On examination, by the light of a 

 candle, we beheld a marvel. On the tip end of the roots, which had forced 

 their way through the cement, were little films, white and cloudy, and 

 though in immense numbers scarcely perceivable. They had some appear- 

 ance of fog, but were more transparent. Passing the hand over them, they 

 disappeared like a dream. They appeared both above and under the places 

 where the water stood. I could not help believing that we had a glimpse 

 of the spiritual world of the vegetable kingdom. 



If grapes are not pruned till late much sap will be lost, as it rises in 

 mild winter weather, and nourishes both cane and buds which are yet to be 

 cut away — while at the same time those which are to remain are to this 

 extent weakened. May it not be said, that in no climate can fruit flourish 

 in which there is not more or less of winter growth ? The general practice 

 then is, to raise every season one cane or more which is to bear the follow- 

 ing year, and to cut out the old wood. Nothing seems more simple. 



Now there is another system of pruning which is strongly objected to 

 by those who do not practice it, and which is persevered in by those who 

 do practice it. This is the spur system. So far as I can hear it has been 

 successful. It is practiced to a great extent on the Ohio lake shore. It is 

 generally agreed that it is important the vine should be trained to a single 

 shoot the first year, and be cut back less and less every year till the third, 

 when the vine may bear some ; it ought not to bear much. " In the spur 

 system, ' I quote from a certain work,' when the vine is two years old, the 

 shoot that grew the year before is pruned back to two eyes, from these two 

 canes are grown. The next year one of them is pruned back to two eyes, 

 the other cane is pruned so as to have from six to nine eyes to form the 

 trunk. One of the shoots from the spur is removed, the other pruned back 

 to two or three eyes, while on the shank one spur and a bow is left. The 

 bearing wood may be increased by and by to two long bows of from 12 to 

 13 eyes. This method requires stakes, otherwise is the same as in dwarf- 

 ing." The author concludes this part by saying there are considerable 

 variations to this. 



Now on the Ohio lake shore I saw simply two stakes, as Dr. Dunham 

 describes, and 1 saw the vines in various stages of growth ; nor did I see 

 a single vine in a bow till I got to Cincinnati, where the vines are dwarfed. 

 From the same author I quote what^'he says about dwarfing : 



" The stem of the vine is allowed the size of from six to twelve inches, 

 with three or four shanks of the same length, branching out all around, on 

 which spurs from four to five eyes are pruned for bearing, and afterward 

 removed, while young shoots at the same time are raised to take their 

 places. The training gives the appearance of dwarf trees, and the more 

 skill there is exercised the better they will look. They may look well some- 

 times, at other times not so well ; for wherever that staple grape, the Ca- 

 tawaba, has been dwarfed, except in some few places, it has done its pret- 

 tiest to rot. By the way, the vines I saw at Cincinnati were raised as if 

 to make them in the shape of good sixed whip-stalks five feet long, and this 

 is done in four years." 



