114 FRUIT GARDEN COMPANION. 



fruiting wood, but draw a portion of substance from 

 it in proportion to their number ; hence the utility of 

 removing such shoots. In taking off laterals care 

 must be taken to nip them off one eye from the main 

 or longitudinal shoot: this is one grand point in 

 summer pruning, which is often improperly done by 

 nipping them too close ; the consequence is, that 

 the eye bursts and grows at an improper season 5 

 which causes a barrenness the next year, owing to 

 the neglect of leaving a proper bud, to carry off the 

 superfluous sap, which is effected by leaving an eye 

 on the end of the lateral, from which the current of 

 sap is kept in motion ; the laterals must be often 

 taken off and the bunches thinned when the fruit is 

 as large as small peas. 



The method of thinning is to leave the bunches 

 as regular as possible in every part. One bunch 

 should be left on a shoot of the present year's wood, 

 where the branches are w T eak, and two on those of 

 stronger growth ; and no more than two in any place. 



The benefit arising from thinning the bunches is 

 this ; the grapes are better flavored and the fruit 

 finer ; the wood is also better ripened, and more 

 vigorous, and every way better for fruiting the follow- 

 ing season. 



Winter pruning. — Pruning the grape vine has 

 been held in such consideration in Europe, that dif- 

 ferent systems have been resorted to, and applied as 

 a correct theory of art. They are the Thomeroy, 

 the Spurring, and the Caning. 



The Thomeroy is performed by forming the vine 

 in such a manner that the old wood always remains 

 forming the frame, and all the young wood is cut into 

 two or three eyes for fruiting. 



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