370 THE FLORIST AND 



The long cane renewal system is in my opinion most worthy of .recom- 

 mendation, especially for out-door culture; native grapes do not require 

 vigorous # pruning, if not allowed to bear too heavy a crop, which ruins half 

 the vines in the country. When such is the case, a severe winter pruning 

 fs necessary. The routine management under' this system, is as follows : 

 The first year the young plants should be encouraged to grow as luxuriantly 

 as possible. No pinching or pruning of any description is requisite until the 

 leaves fall off at their natural period of decay. The plant should now be 

 trimmed to a single clean rod for ten feet in length. This ends the first 

 season. 



The second year a few bunches of fruit will appear on the side shoots, 

 and if the stem is three-fourths of an inch in diameter, two or three may be 

 left, although it is better to remove the whole than impair the health and 

 vigor of the plant. The summer pruning will consist in pinching the points 

 of all the side branches when about eighteen inches in length. The lead- 

 ing shoot is not to be disturbed. A shoot from the lower part of the plant 

 is to be encouraged; this also, should receive no check in its summer 

 growth. The winter pruning will consist in cutting all the side shoots out 

 close to the main stem, the leading shoot and the one from the bottom 

 should merely be shortened, leaving five or six feet of young wood to each. 



The third season, a tolerable crop of fruit may be expected ; the main 

 stem will fruit its whole length ; and should any fruit appear on the bottom 

 shoot, it should be removed. The main stem should be summer pruned as 

 recommended in short spurring, which will encourage the fruit. The se- 

 condary leading stem should be managed similar to the main stem last 

 season, and an additional young rod encouraged from its base, as before. 

 The winter pruning will also suggest itself on reference to the foregoing 

 remarks. The oldest main stem may be removed altogether, thus intro- 

 ducing a young cane yearly, and cutting the oldest one out. It is not 

 necessary to adhere closely to this periodical renewal, as the canes can be 

 fruited one or more years on spurs if desired. 



Pruning on this method, combines all the advantages, of close spurring, 

 while the additional quantitity of foliage retained, supports a healthy and 

 increasing root action ; and farther, the principal removal of wood, taking 

 place in the winter pruning, imparts renewed force to the plant. This 

 system enables us to keep a plant in health and vigor in a small space, or 

 extend the branches in proportion to the roots, which is the most natural 

 manner of treating a plant. Disease is very frequently engendered by 

 unskilful and injudicious pruning, and the more it can be dispensed with 

 the better, consistent with the objects of the cultivator. 



