1»» TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



moved for at least one year, and then draw oS to bottle with a 

 syphon. 



A gentleman said his wine was always best when standing two 

 years before bottling. 



The chairman said that water never should be added to grapo 

 juice. If you desire your wine high colored and a little astring- 

 ent, let the mashed currants stand some hours before straining. 

 If you wished it light colored, strain immediately. Put ninety 

 pounds of sugar in a thirty-gallon cask, and fill it with pure 

 juice, without water, if you want good, strong, and sweet wine. 

 It can be made good with less sugar. George Hite has got some 

 that has stood in casks six years. 



SUMMER PRUNING THE GRAPE-VINE. 



On motion of John G. Bergen, this one of the questions of the 

 dav was taken up, and the chairman requested to give his views. 

 His statement was in substance as follows : 



Andrew S. Fuller. — Summer pruning of the grape is one of 

 the most important operations belonging to the vineyard. In all 

 modes of training, this operation is necessary for directing the 

 vital principle and proper maturation of the plant. It is not 

 only an economical operation, saving much labor that would be 

 otherwise lost, if the vines were left until the annual pruning, 

 but by concentrating the sap into that particular portion of the 

 vine where it is needed, we are able to produce a much larger 

 quantity of superior fruit than we otherwise should. 



By summer pruning, we do not mean the cutting off of large 

 branches, but by a system of pinching, or stopping the young 

 shoots with the finger and thumb, and this is called summer pru- 

 ning. When a vine is planted, we should never allow but one 

 shoot to grow upon it the first season, and never allow any side 

 shoots ol- lateral to grow any length out from this, for if we do, the 

 bud at the axil of the leaf where this lateral springs, (which is 

 the embryo fruit-branch for the coming season,) Avill be very 

 much injured, if not entirely destroyed ; besides, the sap will be 

 distributed through many small branches, instead of being con- 

 centrated into one strong shoot. 



The operation of pinching off the laterals is generally perfor- 

 med thus : When they have pushed out and formed one or two 

 leaves, then the end is pinched off, leaving one leaf; when they 

 have pushed again, pinch again, and leave another leaf, and so 



