142 FRUIT CULTURE. 



are rubbed off, leaving but one strong shoot to 

 make the future cane. This shoot is tied to a 

 stake and allowed to run up perpendicularly, 

 making a growth of six to eight feet the first 

 year. In the spring following, this cane is again 

 cut back to three eyes in order to give a strong 

 cane, with abundant root force. But at this 

 point the treatment wiU depend upon the train- 

 ing to be adopted. 



No other fruit requires so much pruning as the 

 grape. The tendency of the vine is to make 

 wood, to climb to the tops of trees, or whatever 

 else it may find for support, showing its greatest 

 vigor at its extremities, at the top. Vines thus 

 allowed to run, as upon arbors and buildings, 

 are vigorous, and as they attain age are often 

 fruitful. But the fruit is shaded and choked 

 with too much wood, and is always inferior in 

 quality. To remedy this tendency to growth and 

 throw the strength into the fruit, various methods 

 of training, of pruning, and of fertilizing have 

 been adopted. It is well understood that sap 

 flows with most force in a perpendicular upward 

 course. Hence the leading shoot will easily 

 keep the lead and never cease to make growth. 

 In countries where the rain-fall is small and the 

 soil is loose and thin, all that is required to 

 check growth and produce f ruitf ulness is to bend 



