148 



APPEXDIX. 



and liere spur-pruning is generally practised, but 

 carried to such an extreme, that in tlie course of years 

 the vines become knotty, stunted, and unproductive. 

 The first j^ear, little or no pruning is necessary ; if 

 there is much top, however, it must be cut into two or 

 three good-eyes. The vine is very tractable, and may 

 bo trained in the most symmetrical manner; this, 

 however, is too often done at the expense of the best 

 fruit-wood. In the ca>e of the arbor, after the leaders 

 have been trained to their places, and the vines have 

 come into bearing, do not prune closer than three eyes. 

 If the growth is likely to be too much, rub out the 

 middle e^^e, leaving the third for fruit, and the first 

 for bearing next year ; at which time cut away all the 

 w^ood down to this first shoot, which latter must be cut 

 to three eyes, rubbing out the second as before, and so 

 on from year to year. The truth is, it would require 

 several pages to explain this matter fully, but I have 

 no time for it. In the case of the trellis, what garden- 

 ers call cane-pruning is the best. Select as many shoots 

 as are Avanted, and cut out all the resr ; these shoots 

 are then shortened into the first good eye ; but if this 

 should leave them too long, they must be cut to the 

 desired length. I regret that I have not time to explain 

 this fully ; but the principle is, to get rid of last year's 

 bearing-wood, and keep the new wood as near to the 

 body as possible. The gr.ipe border must be manurea. 



