aob TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



step by step, until we reach the trellis, and have formed over two 

 shoots for arms. The object of this layering is to get a large 

 quantity of root before the vine is called upon to produce a large 

 quantity of fruit. There is a sufficient amount of top allowed to 

 remain on the vine each year (which is also allowed to bear 

 fruit) to keep the roots active and healthy. Whatever system 

 you adopt let it he vigorously adhered to until you succeed or fail, 

 and in case the latter is your fate, you may confer a great favor 

 upon others by doing so, for it is often the case that the failure 

 of one man is of -more benefit to the community than the success 

 of man3^ If you do not adhere to the one system tliat you start 

 with, we cannot tell Avhether it was your neglect or the fault of 

 the system that caused the failure. Of course we are supposing 

 that there is no fault in the variety or in the cultivation. 



Mr. Fuller then proceeded to illustrate his observations upon 

 vines provided for the purpose, and also by plates to be found in 

 Dr. Grant's catalogue, which, by the by, is one of the best trea- 

 tises upon tlie vine and its cultivation to be found in print. Mr. 

 Fuller advocated the single eye system for propagation, as likely 

 to produce the best vines in the shortest time. The old wood 

 serves to nourish the new shoot until it can send out new roots 

 to sustain itself. The best plan for training vines for family use 

 is upon trellises. No vine should ever be trained upon an arbour 

 for any other purpose than a shade. Never use an arbour to 

 grow fruit. It is very difficult to arrange an old vine into any 

 good shape — to make a good vine, you must start aright with a 

 new vine. Upon whatever plan you train your vines, make your 

 fruit grow close to the ground — that is within reach without 

 using a fireman's ladder. 



PRESERVING FRUIT TREES. 



William S. Carpenter, a practical orchardist of Westchester 

 county, who has been very successful, read the following paper 

 upon this question : 



Trimming is now reduced to a system. By dwarfing various 

 kinds of trees, such as the pear on the quince stock, we are 

 enabled to train it and keep it within our reach, and make it both 

 ornameutal and. useful. The most approved form is the pyra- 

 midal. In order to form a perfect pyramid, we should encourage 

 the tree to branch near the ground, and train the side branches 

 so that they will be regularly distributed along the body of the 

 tree. In order to effect this, summer pruning or pinching is re- 



