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IIO 



CULTIVATION of the VINE. 



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and therefore if any fruit fhould appear upon them, they 

 iiiuft be taken away as foon as the clufters appear; in the 

 fall of the fourth year, cut all the branches that have born 

 fruit clean away, and leave thofe that did not bear fruit; 

 and then according to the ftrength of the vine, cut as many 

 ofthefe down to two buds, as you think your vine ought to 

 bear, and cut the reft down to one bud, always remembering 

 that the branches that have but one bud, and the under 

 bud of thofe that have two, are to bear no fruit. When 

 your vines come to be ftrong and able to bear it, cut down 

 all the branches to two buds, and then you will have eight 

 bearing branches in one year, which are quite enough for 

 the ftrongeft vines; however if you have a mind to ftrain 

 your vines, and to try how much they will bear, you may then 

 cut as many branches as you think fit down to three buds, 

 two of which may bear fruit, while the under buds arc 

 kept for branches of referve. In the fall, all the fruit 

 bearing branches are cut clean away. If this method 

 fhould fucceed to your mind, and you think it preferable 

 to the method firft laid down, I mean that of preferving 

 branches of referve to be laid down and covered in winter, 

 which is the German method, and the general pradice of. 

 the Rhine, &c. then in order to bring your older vines into 

 this method, cut down the fruit bearing branches to one 

 bud the firft year, and the branches of referve you may 

 cut down to two or three buds each, as you think your 



vines are able to bear it. In this you form your judgment, 

 from the ftrength of your vine, the goodnefs of your foil, 

 the diftance of your vines from one another, and the quan- 

 tity of fruit they have born the three preceeding years : for 

 vihes, as well as men, muft have time to reft and recruit, 

 if you mean them to laft, and to return to their work with 

 vigour. 



Now for the coveringofthefe vines in the winter feafon, 

 I would advife a handful of foft hay, that is free from 

 grafs-feeds, to be laid on the head of the vine, and a flight 

 box made of rough cedar boards, or of pine, (which any 



fervant 



V, 





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