THE FORCING GARDEN. 



707 



Those shoots which are even intended to be left at some 

 length at the winter pruning, should be stopped after they 

 have exceeded the required length that they are ultimately to 

 be ; that is to say, one-third, or rather more, should be stopped 

 back a few joints, so as not to run up and crowd the other 

 parts of the house. All lateral shoots, and such as issue from 

 the old wood, together with all tendrils, should be removed 

 as useless, and only robbing the vine, as well as causing con- 

 fusion.; leaving only the tendril next the extremity of those 

 shoots which are laid in at the greatest length. Any leaves 

 broken or injured by accident, or destroyed by insects, should 

 be also removed, but none of the healthy leaves should be 

 ever taken off, as the vine thereby becomes so much weakened, 

 and when this practice is carried too far, the ill effects often 

 appear in the shrivelling of the fruit before it attains maturity : 

 this is most obvious in the tender kinds of vines, such as the 

 Frontignac, and some others ; while the hardier kinds, such as 

 the Hamburg, &c., are less effected by it. Air should be 

 admitted freely every day by opening the ventilators or sashes 

 more or less, according to circumstances. 



It is wisely observed by Nicol, that a man to be a good 

 trainer of vines, and to be able to provide for a crop the fol- 

 lowing season, must have some forethought, and be capable 

 of making his selections as the plants shoot, even at this dis- 

 tance of time. It must be pre- determined how he shall prune, 

 and where he shall cut at the end of the season, and so, as 

 it »verc, fishion the plants to his mind. He has this more 

 effectually in his power, with respect to the vine, than any 

 other fruit-tree, on account of its rapidity of growth and 

 docility. 



Such shoots as may have been stopped, as directed above, 

 will be apt to push again. Allow the lateral that pushes to 

 run a few joints, and then shorten it back to one, and so on, 

 as it pushes, until it stop entirely. When the proper shoot 

 from which these issued becomes ripened nearly to the extre- 

 mity, the whole of the said laterals may be cut off at tlie ori- 

 ginally sliortened part, or at one joint above it, if tliere be 

 re.'.son to fear that tlie uppermost bud of the proper shoot will 

 start. 



