86 FRUIT CULTURE UNDER GLASS. 



throw it off in a natural -way. When the wood gets 

 dark hrown and well solidified, open all the ventilators 

 to their Ml extent, except in times of high winds, 

 which might injure the leaves, it being indispensable 

 to the proper maturing of the roots and wood that the 

 foliage should remain its natural period on the vines. 



MANAGEMENT OF VINES THE SECOND SEASON. 



Pruning. — When the vines have rested about three 

 weeks after they have shed their leaves, pruning should 

 not be delayed any longer. Cut down the permanent 

 vines at each rafter to about , 1 foot below the top of the 

 front light or bottom of the rafter. The general practice 

 is to cut them down exactly to the bottom of the rafter ; 

 but as they are to be trained with two fruit-bearing 

 and permanent rods, I prefer cutting them lower down, 

 both because the two permanent rods can be more 

 easily trained into their proper place, and because the 

 first few buds formed at the base of long young rods 

 are never so prominent, and do not break and show 

 fruit, or come away into strong lateral growths, so 

 well as those further up the rod. By cutting them 

 below the angle, these weaker buds are formed where 

 they are not so important for fruit-bearing the follow- 

 ing season. Shorten back those that have been grown 

 with a single rod, to bear fruit for a year or two, to 

 about 8 feet. The day after they are cut, dress the 

 wounds over with styptic, to prevent any possibility 

 of their bleeding in spring when the sap begins to 

 move. Young strong vines are more apt to bleed than 

 older ones. Wash the wood-work and glass, and other- 

 wise thoroughly clean the house. If there has been 



