MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, kc. 



123 



On the Pruning and Training of Vines. 



It is to be obferved, that the wood mud be ftrong, or the 

 Vines will produce fmall bunches. If that be the cafe, cut 

 them down to two or three eyes, in order to have ftrong 

 wood for next year. Vines bear their fruit on the wood that 

 was produced the preceding year. If there be a great deal of 

 old naked wood on them, as generally is the cafe, with fome 

 fmall weak flioots at the extremities, always cut them down 

 as near to the ground as poflible ; you will then have no fruit 

 for that year. Or you may cut every other fhoot, leaving the 

 old ones to produce fome fmall Grapes. The next year you 

 will have plenty of fine wood, provided you take care to nail 

 in the ftrongeft fhoots, and pick off all the fide-fhoots that 

 are produced from the eyes, pinching them off with the finger 

 and thumb, or cutting them out with a fharp penknife clofe 

 to the bud or eye ; but never twift them ; for by t wilting 

 them you will hurt the bud that produces the Grapes next 

 year ; always obferving to cut as near to a bud as poflible, 

 and taking care to lay in the wood very thin in Summer, that 

 the fun and air may be freely admitted to ripen it : by thefe 

 means it will grow very ftrong. Take care alfo to keep the 

 fhoots nailed to the wall, which will prevent their being 

 broken by the high winds ; obferving to pick off all the fide- 

 ihoots every time'you nail them, which ought to be done fe- 

 deral times during the Summer months, according to the 

 quicknefs of their growth. In fine weather they will grow 

 fo very quick, that you will have occafion to look over them 

 once every fortnight or three weeks, if you wiih to have them 



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