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III. Description of a peculiar Method of training Vines un- 

 der Glass, in a House; with a Statement of the Advantages 

 which result from it. In a Letter to the Secretary. By 

 Alexander Seton, Esq. F. H. S. 



Read November 4, 1817. 

 My Dear Sir, 

 Having but little knowledge in the culture of the Vine, 

 I do not expect that the method of training it, which I 

 pointed out to you a few days ago, in my green-house, will 

 be found to deserve much notice ; but as I have practised it, 

 with considerable success, for several years, and as it is possi- 

 ble that it may afford some useful hint, even to persons of 

 more experience than myself, you may, perhaps, deem it 

 worth while to read a short statement of it to the Society. 



The Vine having, like other trees, a tendency to produce 

 its most vigorous shoots at the extremities of the branches, 

 and particularly so at those which are situated highest, it 

 generally happens, when it is trained, as is most frequently 

 done, across and upwards, from the front to the back of the 

 house, that the greater portion of the fruit is borne near the 

 top, while the lower parts are comparatively barren. This 

 takes place, whether the branches be made to consist chiefly 

 of vigorous terminal shoots, preserved at considerable length, 

 or the leading shoots be kept short, and lateral spurs be left 

 for the production of the fruit ; but in the latter case, the 

 evil exists in a smaller degree ; for the spurs, or short lateral 



vol. in. C 



