106 



THE GKAPE. 



two or tliree leading shoots ; and after these cover tlie 

 trellis or stakes as extensively as you wish, then tha 

 rule in pruning is, every year from December to first 

 of February, fearlessly to cut back all of the last year's 

 growth, so far as to leave only two eyes. It is also 

 desirable, after the grapes are beginning to fill in June, 

 to pinch back the terminal bud of every branch, and 

 thus check its growth, and throw back its sap, to ripen 

 the fruit and mature the wood. By pinching back, we 

 mean, to pinch ofi* with the thumb-nail and fore-finger 

 the end of every bearing branch, and we then cut out 

 all the superfluous little shoots and suckers. 



The vine is composed the greater part of potash, 

 lime, and carbonic acid, and therefore a frequent appli- 

 cation of ashes, lime, and soap-suds is beneficial. It 

 has been asserted that tartaric acid is a valuable spe- 

 cific for the fruit, but of this we have no personal 

 knowledge. 



The grape should always be grown in the warmest 

 and most sheltered situation, so that the fruit may 

 ripen well before frost. The south side of a house, or 

 ♦southern slope of a side-hill, should be chosen. 



In some places the mildew is troublesome to the 

 grape, but sulphur sprinkled liberally on its first ap- 

 pearance will usually check it at once. There is also 

 a kind of snail slug which often destroys the leaves in 

 a few weeks. These can easily be destroyed by shower^ 



