4 



Disbudding and Stopping Vines. 



As soon as the vine begins to send out its shoots, care must be taken to have all buds rubbed off 

 which are not required. As soon as the shoots get about three inches long they should show fruit if 

 there is going to be any on the first growths. Most eyes that break will give off two orthre growths. 

 At the first disbudding, if there are three growths, the weakest one at each eye can be rubbed off ; but 

 if there are only two growths and of about the same strength, then care should be taken to rub the one 

 off the furthest from the old wood, so as to avoid forming a long spur. After all but the best growths 

 have been rubbed off at each eye, care must be taken not to let any more growths s*pring from the base 

 of the first side growths. Do not allow the growths too close together ; ten inches from one growth to 

 another will be a good distance. It will be prudent not to thin the last extra growths off till it is seen 

 what fruit there is ; if there are no signs of fruit when the growths are about six inches long, it may 

 be taken that there will not be any unless it comes on the laterals, as is often the case with black 

 grapes. As soon as the disbudding is all over, the side shoots of the Vine will soon have made about 

 eighteen inches of growth. At this stage all growths except the leaders should be stopped at the end 

 of the growth by having the point pinched out. The growths with fruit on can have the point pinched 

 off at the third leaf past the bunch ; those side growths without any fruit on must be pinched back to 

 about the same distance. Soon after the points of the lateral have been pinched off, sub-laterals will 

 begin to show ; these must be allowed to grow till they have made five or six leaves ; then they must 

 be pinched back to one leaf ; as fast as they keep growing the process must be repeated. 



It is not wise to allow fruit to remain on the leading growths, so if there is any, it should be 

 pinched off at once. Unless the Vine is a good age, has a good main trunk, and is in good condition, 

 it should not be allowed to carry all the bunches that come on ; ten good bunches are better than thirty 

 bad ones, and there is nothing that will ruin Vines so much as over-cropping. 



The leading growths should not be stopped until the vine has been growing about four months, 

 then it can be stopped by having the point pinched out, this will cause the trunk of the vine to thicken. 

 All the laterals must be kept of the leading growths. 



As the Vine gets covered with foliage the Vine should get a great deal more water than it received 

 during the first few weeks ; the soil must never be allowed to get anythingjlike dry. When the Vine 

 is coming into flower, it should have a good watering to carry it over that period, after that, it should 

 receive a copious supply of water every week till the fruit begins to colour ; at this period water should 

 be kept from it for a few weeks. 



ALFALFA OR LUCERNE. 



(Medicago sativa, Linn.) 



This plant is cultivated in many semi-tropical and tropical countries as a fodder-plant. It is 

 nearly allied to the clovers, and has a tre-foil leaf, purple flowers, and a pod of a double spiral. It is 

 well worthy of a trial in Jamaica as a forage plant. 



In India, according to Dr. Watt's " Economic Products of India," the seed is sown broadcast on 

 ground well broken up and manured. Lime is the best manure. The amount of seed required is 

 from 30 to SOlbs. to an acre. It comes to perfection in about 6 weeks, and from 4 to 8 crops can be 

 cut in the year. On good soil the yield is 10,0001bs. to 15,0001bs. to the acre for one cutting. Seed 

 is generally procured from the third crop. One sowing is said to last from 2 to 10 years according to 

 soil and manure. Where there is no rain, it is irrigated five times each crop, or every time it droops. 

 The crop should be cut before flowering. In Cuba, it is said to be grown as Gruinea grass is in Ja- 

 maica. 



Reports from the United States are favourable to its value as a forage plant. The Colorado 

 Agricultural Colley reports "alfalfa an entire success. If the lauds is kept well irrigated two crops 

 can be taken the first season, yielding three and four tons to the acre. The second season three cut- 

 tings can be made, yielding 7 tons per acre. This year the second crop grew 42 inches in thirty days, 

 so thick and heavy one could not walk through it. When once well rooted it appears to be an impos- 

 sibility to kill it. Ploughing it under, like Clover, only makes it grow better. After having been 

 ploughed under and the land sowed to oats, 3 tons of Alfalfa per acre were cut after 42 bushels of oats 

 per acre had been harvested. Wheat, corn, and potatoes are raised with excellent success after 

 ploughing it under, and without interfering with the stand of Alfalfa the next year. Of the Clovers, 

 Alfalfa will always head the list in this region. In some respects it is unequalled, as it has unrivalled 

 vigour of stem and root, the latter qualification enabling it to survive our seasons of scantiest water 

 supply which the grasses will not do as a general rule." 



In Louisiana, Alfalfa does well on dry, good land. The soil in northern Missouri is reported as 

 not adapted to it, but in the southern part it is a success. In South Carolina, Alfalfa is thoroughly 

 adapted to the soil and climate, and is considered most valuable. It is reported also as well suited to 

 west Florida. In Kansas it withstands the drought, and proves a valuable forage plant. 



To those who will undertake to experiment with Alfalfa, sufficient seed (3 lbs.) will be supplied 

 free to plant a square chain. If any consider it desirable to make a larger sowing, more seed will be 

 obtained at cost price. Applications should be sent at once to Director of Public Gardens, Gordon 

 Town P.O,, in order that seed may be obtained from abroad. 



IMPROVED BEE-KEEPING FOR SMALL SETTLERS. 



{a) The methods adopted by our peasantry with regard to the management of bees, and the pro- 

 duction of honey, are of so crude and unscientific a nature, and are indeed based rather more upon 

 superstition than on a knowledge of the babits of bees ; that unless such bee-keepers can be persuaded 



