FORCING DEPARTMENT. 361 



healed before the sap was again put in motion ; the 

 Vine is very subject to bleed at the wounds when in 

 a vegetating* state. As it was now intended that a 

 crop of fruit should be obtained the third season, the 

 shoots were laid in at a considerable length, from 8 

 to 12 feet long, according to the strength of the 

 plant, which is the best criterion to go by. The 

 Vines in the division that were not intended for spur 

 pruning, were left of three different lengths, the lead- 

 ing shoot from 8 to 10 feet, and the two side ones 

 from 6 to 12 inches, leaving the weakest always the 

 shortest, which will cause it to push with more 

 vigour, and it being from the main or leading shoot 

 that we are to expect a crop of fruit from this next 

 year. The lower or side shoots should be cut suffi- 

 ciently back, to induce them to throw out a supply 

 of strong wood for producing a crop of fruit, the 

 foregoing season. Those intended for spur pruning, 

 and to be confined solely under the rafter, were 

 kept to a single stem, and left about half the length 

 of the rafter. The principal advantage, I conceive, 

 derived by this form of training, is a greater portion 

 of light and air, admitted into the house, for the 

 benefit of the articles that are forced in the pits 

 under the Vines. I also consider, that Vines, whose 

 side shoots are shortened back to a single eye of the 

 last year's growth, will break with more regularity 

 at an early period of the season, than those that are 

 left at a considerable length. It frequently happens 

 with long shoots, that there is only a few buds at 

 the extremity which push, consequently the lower 

 part remains naked and unproductive ; this often 

 3 A 



