PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMERS' CLUB. 



28t 



when it has become enfeebled by age or accident is, by layering 

 a portion of its young shoots. This is the general and success- 

 ful method practiced in old and established vineyards. 



The first pruning a vine receives is at the time of planting, at 

 which time it should be cut down to one eye or bud above the 

 ground, from which one shoot is allowed to grow. This should 

 be kept tied to a stake, all side shoots or laterals, as they are 

 termed, pinched off, leaving one leaf on them the first time ; if 

 they start again, pinch them ofi', leaving another leaf, and so on 

 through the grawing season. 



The second year cut this leaf down to two buds if strong, but 

 if weak, cut again to one bud, and repeat the operation as the 

 first year. When the vine makes a strong growth the first sea- 

 son, it may be safely cut back to two buds, and from there we 

 allow two shoots to grow, which must be attended to during 

 their growth ; such as tying to stakes or trellis, and pinching off 

 laterals, as was done the first year. 



The third year we are supposed to have two strong shoots 

 from one root, and we are now ready to adopt the plan on which 

 we intend to train our vine. Nearly all the systems now in use 

 start from this point, whether it be the bow system, thornery, or 

 the common trellis plan ; this seems to be the starting point for 

 them all. 



A very simple plan, and one which is peculiarly adapted for a 

 trellis, is formed by bending dowai the tree-shoots, which we- 

 should have on our vines at the end of the second or third year, 

 to form horizontal arms, leaving them about two feet long. The 

 shoot that grows from the end bud we save for continuing the 

 arm next season. But it should not be lengthened more than tw^o 

 feet in any one season. Only the number of buds required for 

 the upright shoots should be left to grow upon these arms. The 

 upright shoots are to be cut down to one or two eyes every year, 

 and from the young shoots that spring from these w^e obtain our 

 fruit. 



Another mode is to cut down every alternate shoot to one eye 

 and the others to four or five, the long canes bearing several 

 bunches and the others none. Next season this order is reversed, 

 those bearing this year bear none the next, &c. 



Sometimes a vine is planted in a trench five or six feet from 

 the trellis or wall on which it is to be trained, and each year a 

 portion of the vine, say two feet, is layered, and thus we go on, 



