THE PRACTICAL GARDENER. 



[Mar. 



the second joint above tlic fruit ; which stoppinir is pci-formetl 

 by pinching the tender slioot asunder with the finger and 

 thumb. All necessary pruning in the vinery or peach-house 

 during summer, is to be effected in a similar manner without 

 using the knife, by which a bruised wound is produced, which 

 is not so apt to bleed as one which is produced by the cut ot 

 a knife. It is on this principle that gardeners are in the con- 

 stant habit of bruising the shoots of melons and cucumber* 

 with the fhiger and thumb, after pruning them with a knife, 

 to answer the same purpose ; and this method seems to have 

 been practised for an unknown length of time. Such shoots 

 as produce no fruit, and are not intended to be retained for a 

 supply of young bearing-wood for the succeeding year, are to 

 he rubbed off quite close to the old wood from which they 

 issued : thus clearing the vines of all superfluous and useless 

 wood, which, if not removed, would rob the necessary wood 

 'eft for succeeding purposes, as well as materially injure the 

 crop, and cause a great degree of confusion. 



The shoots to be chosen for the production of the crop next 

 season, should be now selected from the strongest and best- 

 fornvnl shoots having no fruit, and which, from their luxuriant 

 appearance, are likely to attain considerable size : these should 

 be tied into the trellis as they advance in growth, to prevent 

 them being broken, and so arranged as not to crowd the rest 

 of the shoots of the vines. All shoots that spring from the 

 old wood should be entirely displaced, as well as some of the 

 more weak of those which have shown bunches of fruit, if there 

 be plenty of stronger near them, so as to prevent all unnecessary 

 confusion and shade. The vines will require to be gone over 

 every other day, until all the shoots have extended so far as 

 to determine wlicther they are to produce fruit or not ; and 

 this examination will require to be continued for some time 

 after the fruit has set, as such shoots which have been short- 

 ened will be apt to throw out lateral or side shoots, which 

 should be removed above their first joint from the fruit-bearing 

 branch. 



In tying the fruit-bearing shoots to the trellis, but more 

 particularly the shoots intended to remain for next season, 

 observe to allow plenty of room in the matting to allow the 



