MISCELLANEOUS. 185 



to give it, and none others should be heeded. It is not 

 every one who attempts to make wine that accomplishes it ; 

 for every vineyardist does not know how to make wine 

 any more than every wine maker knows how to grow 

 grapes. 



Let us first supply the country with good table grapes ; 

 then, if there should be a surplus, we can call on the wine, 

 vinegar, and brandy maker for information and assistance 

 in disposing of it to advantage. 



PRUNING SHEARS. 



Those who have a large number of vines to prune know 

 the importance of having a good implement with which to 

 do it. With a first-rate pair of shears a man can prune 

 many more vines in a day than he can with a knife ; besides, 

 there is less danger of breaking off those buds which it is 

 desirable to retain. In pruning fruit trees the pruning- 

 knife is preferable, because we usually wish to make a 

 smooth cut, so that the wound will heal over ; not so with 

 the vine, as the cut is generally made between the buds, 

 and the wound is not expected to heal ; the stump above 

 the bud dies back to it, and if this is cut away it is only 

 for looks — ^nothing more. Therefore in pruning vines it is 

 not requisite to leave a very smooth surface to the wounds, 

 though to have an instrument^that will cut smooth and 

 easy is very desirable. 



There are any number of styles of pruning shears — Ger- 

 man, French, English, and American, Some are good, but 

 more that are good for nothing. The best shears that I 

 have ever used (and they are not a few) are those made in 

 this country. I am not aware that they have any particu- 

 lar name, but " J. Wiss, Newark, N. J.," is stamped on 

 the blade, and I presume that to be the name of the manu- 

 facturer. Fig. 66 shows the shape of these shears. The 

 springs are of brass or of some similar composition which 



