96 



here, it is also true in England where I believe most, if not all, the- 

 great grape growing establiehments are little above sea level. The 

 probable reason may be the more even temperature as between day 

 and night that prevails on the low lands as compared with the hills. 

 During the twelve months of the year the vine can bear very wide 

 divergencies of temperature but a difference of from ten to fifteen de- 

 grees is all it can endure with safety as between noon and night. 

 There is also considerable difference in the adaptability of varieties 

 for special localities. Some that are highly prized and largely grown 

 in temperate regions are failures in the tropics and on the other hand 

 kinds that are not regarded as very desirable elsewhere under a change 

 of environment do excellently well here. 



Vines can be brought into bearing the second year and as a matter 

 of business it is well known that quantities oi grapes are so produced 

 whilst on the other hand with proper care a vine may live andjyield 

 annual crops of fruit for centuries. 



A vine consists of root stem, branches and canes. The root andf stem 

 are the original vine — the branches may be any age from two years and 

 upwards, the cane is the result of the previous season's growth and it is 

 on this cane that all the natural processes of leaf, blossom, tendril and 

 fruit are carried on and completed. It is also on this ripened [cane, 

 the produce of the past season, that we rely for the crop of the next 

 season. 



You will perceive that the cane I now hold in my hand is jointed — 

 i.e. it consists of nodes and internodes — this formation is peculiar to the 

 green shoot and the ripe cane, and if any portion of this cane is left to 

 form a part of the permanent vine it disappears. On this node or joint 

 all the processes of growth are carried out. On one side we have a l«af 

 — this leaf however you see changes sides every other node and in the 

 axil of the leaf there are two buds, one of which is usually found push- 

 ing into growth. This growth is commonly known as the sublateral — 

 the province of this sublateral is to keep the second bud quiet and also 

 to assist in its ultimate development into a plump mature bud capable 

 of giving fruit the following season. To remove this sublateral en- 

 tirely would be either to start the second bud into growth and so destroy 

 all hope of fruit from it, or else so to reduce its proper amount of sus- 

 tainance and so render it very doubtful if it could yield fruit. The 

 usual procedure in these circumstances is to follow the middle course 

 and pinch it back to one bud and to keep it so pinched until the season 

 of growth is over ; at the time the vine is next pruned it is entirely 

 cut out. 



On the other side of the node you may see a cluster of fruit, or a ten- 

 dril, or the node may be barren. Every node has a loaf ; the life-time 

 of which is about nine months — having served its purpose it falls away 

 of itself. Every node however does not necessarily have fruit, or ten- 

 dril. More than two succeeding clusters or tendrils are never seen to- 

 gether — at least every third node is barren. The tendrils also invaria- 

 bly follow the cluster and never under any circumstance precede it. 

 In Spring after the vine has been pruned and growth has commenced, 

 it is easy to see where the fruit will be — it generally appears after the 



