92 FIOTOBIAL FBAOTIOAL FBUIT GEOWINQ. 



the cane through, and train it under the roof. If planted inside the house, 

 train it against the front wall and under the roof. At the point where a 

 part of it bearing a good bud comes under full exposure to light through 

 reaching the glass (the latter being either a portion of the front wall or the 

 roof itself) pass a knife through the cane, and a new growth — the future 

 bearing rod — will start from the bud. The slight modification previously 

 hinted at is advisable if planting is done in spring instead of winter ; in 

 this case rub off all the buds below the one exposed to the light, and do not 

 cut off the upper part until the shoot which broke from the bud is in free 

 growth, and is therefore a good channel for the sap. The reason of this is 

 that if a late planted Vine is cut back to a bud that is practically dormant 

 " bleeding," or loss of sap, is liable to take place to such an extent as to 

 weaken the Vine. 



There is no benefit in planting Vines deeply. Tlie upper layer of soil 

 may be finer than the lower, and if there is 8 or 9 inches in depth of it there 

 will be sufBcient to work amongst and cover the roots. Press it firmly. 'Jo 

 be strictly correct, the border should be made six or eight weeks before 

 planting, in order to allow it time to settle : this will save a great deal of 

 ramming. Plant not less than 3 feet apart, 4 feet is better. 



The Development of a Youn^ Vine. — There is nothing more 

 interesting in the whole range of gardening operations, bristling though it 

 is with fascinating features, than the development of a young Vine. Like 

 the "Popular Educator" juvenile whom we see on the posters, it may 

 develop into vigorous youth, robust manhood, and honoured age ; or reach 

 maturity and decrepitude by various stages of vice and idleness. If the 

 general culture be right, of which more anon, the shoot from the bud 

 previously referred to will grow rapidly, and by the end of the season, 

 perhaps before, it will have reached th,e top of the house. It will not, how- 

 ever, be either a thick shoot or a ripe one — it is impossible that it should 

 be; but we want it to be both, and to secure this end we shorten it to about 

 one-third the length of the rafters. This shortening is usually done in 

 autumn or winter, but some growers pinch out the tip while it is growing. 

 Any side shoots which push are shortened to one or two buds. The next 

 year the rod will thicken considerably. The leading shoot will reach the 

 top of the house, and may again be shortened, this time to two-thirds the 

 length of the rafters. The second shortening is sometimes omitted, and 

 nothing very terrible happens ; but it helps the rod to thicken, and I con- 

 sider it to be advisable. (See Figs. 69, 70, and 71, page 93.) 



The Beginnings of Pruning.— When the grower has made sure of 

 his rod, he may concentrate his attention on the side shoots, commonly 

 spoken of as laterals, for these bear the fruit. It is not wise to encourao-e 

 strong lateral growth and permit free fruiting until the rod is made. It is 

 better to prune in the laterals when shortening the rod, as already 

 described. But a couple of bunches on the lower laterals the second year 

 will do no harm, and from four to six may be allowed the following season. 

 Now as to the management of the laterals. In the first place, how many 

 should there be on a rod ? A safe rule is to select a number of good buds 

 IS inches apart on one side of the rod, and remove the others. Do the 

 same on the other side, taking care that the buds chosen are about halfway 

 between their opposites. In other words, do not have the laterals on 

 opposite sides of the Vine springing from points close together, but let them 

 come between each other, which will bring them alternately left and right 

 of the rod, about 9 inches apart. These laterals will, of course, develop 



