70 THE vine-dkessee's manual. 



should also be trained, wherever sound judgment prog- 

 nosticates the probable future unfitness of existing 

 thighs. 



The chief spurs wilL each bear a few grapes, often 

 the best. 



"We wiU now give a cut as the vine should look if 

 trimmed right, believing that this will furnish nearly 

 as correct information as if the instruction were given 

 before the vine itself. 



Fig. 21 represents a grapevine, over six years old, 

 having a stem two inches or more thick, and healthy 

 throughout ; and bearing this in mind, one may add 

 to, or lighten the " load" as good sense will dictate. 

 Few vintners succeed in having all their vines in just 

 such perfection. The vines will vary more or less ; 

 but the cut will give the general idea. 



If the reader will now compare the trimmed vine 

 with the previous cut, he will easily see what must be 

 cut away : namely, the old bow, and all other super- 

 fluous wood. I need not add, that every vine bears 

 small skoots, not marked down on the first cut; be- 

 cause, to put them there would have perplexed the 

 reader. All such must be trimmed away. 



Should the grapevine to be trimmed be a neglected 

 one, and it is intended to start it right anew, then the 

 above cut will, with the explanations, give a general 

 idea how to bring this about. 



