THE RUSHIRE FRUIT FARM, IONIA, MICH. 
31 
liirge crojjs. It the vines are to be vised for 
propagating they should not be allowed to bear 
■over one-third the above in any year. 
It is a (lireat Mistake 
to train the vine so low as to densely shade the 
,ground. It invites mildew and rot. They de- 
light in sunshine and plenty of dry air. 
Siiiiiiiier Priiiiiiig-. 
I believe in it and practice it. If a large 
Dumber of buds start out close together rub 
them off soon after they start so as to leave the 
proper number. After the fruit has set and 
vines e-iftended about two feet beyond the last 
■clusters, take a piece of an old scythe, having a 
•cloth wrapped around to make a handle, pass 
along the row quickly, cutting ofT the extreme 
end of the growing vines. They will now 
throw out laterals which should again be 
shortened in and the leaves are seen to grow 
much larger and forced to remain near the 
fruit. Cut off only the e.vtreme end. The 
leaves are the lungs of the plant whicli do the 
breathing. No one over saw a i)rize cluster of 
grapes that did not have a very large leaf 
directly oppo.sile the stem. Summer pruning 
does not consist in cutting off the leaves. The 
vine, it left to itself, will grow and carry its 
leaves ten or fifteen feet away from its fruit. 
This is wrong: keep them just as near the fruit 
as possible. The sun is liable to scald the 
fruit, and it should be protected by foliage. 
The first ripe clusters will nearly always be 
found in the shade. The leaves want sun- 
light and lots of it, so it possible have the rows 
run north and south. 
Cultivate 
frequently and nearly up to the time the fruit 
begins to color. 
Don't let grass or weeds grow under the 
vines as a slight frost will injure them, when if 
clean they would escape unharmed. 
V.VKIETIKS OF ORAPES. 
There are too many varieties that are not 
especially valuable. We describe a tew of 
those we regard as the cream of the list. 
lilack (irape.s. 
It may be said the introduction of the Con- 
cord was the beginning of succe.ssful grape 
