1 86 Vineyard Culture. 



At the period we have named, the sap may change its 

 direction, and concentrate its action on the shoots that 

 have been retained, without any effort, or disturbance to 

 the economy of the vine. The shoots assume a bolder 

 development, and perform the functions of those which 

 have been removed. But if the nipping is effected 

 later, when, for instance, the shoots have attained the 

 length of twenty-four to twenty-eight inches, the gen- 

 eral vigor of the plant suffers, and although the shoots 

 that have been preserved seem to increase, still a great 

 quantity of sap has been uselessly absorbed, because 

 the suppressed buds have been taken away before they 

 have entirely developed the organs essential to the life 

 of the plant — the new roots and the new alburnum. — 

 Moreover, the abrupt change which takes place in the 

 natural direction of the sap, at the very moment when 

 its circulation was most brisk, causes a stoppage of veg- 

 etation, which proves hurtful to all the tissues in course 

 of formation. It is a long time before the sap directs 

 itself toward the shoots which have been preserved, and 

 they then grow less vigorously than if the nipping had 

 been performed earlier. 



Buds to be Suppressed. — The disbudding ought to be 

 done from the early stage of the plant's growth ; when 

 they are first pruned, only the finest shoots on each 

 should be allowed to remain. At the time of the sec- 

 ond pruning [Fig. 47], there should be left on the re- 

 served shoot, A, only two or three of the finest buds, 

 according to the form to be given to .the plant. 



Later, when the frame is formed, no buds ought to 

 be retained on the old wood, unless it be intended, as 

 at A [Fig. 76J, to furnish, by and by, the means of 



