Other Operations. 195 



of the European vine-dressers, who attempt to manage the 

 free American vine by subjecting it to extremely harsh meas- 

 ures. They break off the ends of the shoots at the last bunch, 

 after they have made a considerable growth, and thus sacrifice a 

 portion of the energy of the vine. They often defer this trim- 

 ming until after the blossoming season, because of a prejudice 

 that prevents any work being done among the vines during 

 that delightfully fragrant period, when it is a joy to be in the 

 vineyard almost equal to that experienced at the time of the 

 vintage. Not satisfied with this sacrifice of growth, these tar- 

 dy, but now energetic pruners tear out all the laterals that 

 may appear, and thus, when provident arrangements have been 

 made for renewing the foliage, they deprive the vine and its 

 fruit of these valuable resources, and it is no wonder that, with 

 all their efforts to expose their fruit to the burning rays of 

 the sun, they often miserably fail in the desired result of well 

 ripened fruit. 



" This pinching can not all be done at once. As already 

 observed, its best effects can only be obtained by commencing 

 very early, when only a portion of the shoots will be suffi- 

 ciently developed : these should be pinched. The backward 

 shoots will rapidly advance, and in a few days these must be 

 subjected to the same treatment ; and very soon the laterals on 

 the first will require pinching. In the course of the summer, 

 other laterals will form, which will need shortening for the 

 same purpose of developing the foliage ; but, toward the close 

 of the season, they may be let alone. 



" Thus it will be seen that the vine-pincher has no sinecure 

 office, but that his attentions will be pretty constantly required 

 during the season of growth. 



"Third — Trimming to direct the growth of the canes. 

 Pinching off the ends of some of the shoots is a very import- 

 ant part of summer pruning ; but it is one which has been 

 very much abused in practice, and still more so in the criti- 



