Inclement TVeather^ Diseases, Etc. 277 



has been given up^ on account of the delay it occasions 

 to the ripening, and also on account of the abundance 

 of false shoots that are developed at the foot of the 

 principal shoots, and which endanger the crop of the 

 following year. 



[This matter has been very fully discussed, under the head 

 of " Summer Pruning," in the editorial notes of a previous 

 page. It is essentially the plan proposed and practiced by 

 Mr. George Husman, of Missouri, and verified by many 

 others. But, as already stated, it is done for a very different 

 purpose — the development of enlarged leaves, and the suc- 

 cessive crops of these valuable organs, and, through them, for 

 the improvement of the fruit. 



No delay in the ripening of the berries has been observed 

 to follow the practice ; nor, am I aware that any difficulty has 

 arisen from the development of the false shoots mentioned by 

 our author, to interfere with the crop of the next season. 

 Laterals will often be forced out, on the bearing branches, and 

 so much the better, as we thus obtain new foliage to support 

 the economy of the vine, through the season.] 



Since the employment of sulphur to prevent oidium 

 (of which we shall speak, presently), it has been proved 

 that the application of this substance to the vine, and to 

 most other plants, has the effect of stimulating vegeta- 

 tion in a very high degree, and also that the sulphur, 

 applied at the moment the bunches begin to be formed, 

 prevents the running (blighting). 



But the most efficacious means of preventing the 

 effect of these colds, is the matting we have described, 

 or the cloths we shall mention further on, and which 

 are left standing until the grapes begin to be formed. 



2d. Damp Atmosphere, — When the dampness of the 



