318 



ON PRUNING. 



of August, or earlier if they are to the desired height. In 

 November of the third summer's growth, you may now prune 

 for fruit as above stated. Your horizontal branches will have 

 fully matured four luxuriant upright shoots. Cut two of 

 these alternately within one eye of the horizontal shoot, 

 which will produce wood to be fruited the following year, and 

 lay in the other two, in a serpentine form for fruit, to about 

 three feet in length. The vine has now assumed the form 

 in which it is permanently to remain, and it may be con- 

 sidered as the foundation of a system of alternately fruiting 

 four shoots, and training four out their full length every year, 

 which method may be continued every year without any 

 alteration. After several years, if it is thought proper, the 

 arms may be lengthened by the training in of a shoot at 

 their extremities, and managing it in the same manner as 

 when the arms were first formed ; but it is not advisable that 

 the branches should be far extended, which would ultimately 

 prove injurious to those branches arising from the bosom of 

 the vine. This system of pruning and training the vine we 

 do not advocate as something new or original^ but one which 

 we have seen in full and successful practice twenty years ago. 

 By procuring well-grown plants in pots, one year may be 

 gained on the above calculation ; for you can prune, and at 

 once take two shoots to prepare for laying the foundation of 

 your future plant; but more than this cannot be accomplished. 

 We are aware that many of our readers are already startled 

 at this tedious method of fruiting vines, and have almost con- 

 cluded to have fruit the first year or none. Such are too 

 frequently the conclusions of many; but, as sure as they 

 practice it, they as invariably meet with a failure, and that 

 in a very few years. The practice of training vines to get 

 them up to the top of arbors, &c., cannot be done with fine 

 vines without risk. As we have already said, it may and will 

 do with our native kinds, but no other. The general system 

 of spur-pruning has many advantages in in-door culture, but 

 does not at all agree with growing grapes in the open air. 

 Our limits do not admit of giving in detail our reasons for so 

 saying, but those who doubt may go on in the old way, giving 

 the system herein advised a trial with one plant onlt/^ and we 

 guarantee that in less than five years their old vines are 

 headed down to the stump, to begin on a system that yearly 

 renews itself, and can be perpetuated for ages on the same 



