Feb.] the VINEYARD. I47 
similar cases; but the more to the southward the earlier ought this 
to be done; for if deferred till the sap begins to ascend, serious 
evils will ensue to the plants, in consequence of bleeding too 
copiously from the wounds. Let it be observed that the sap begins 
to rise six weeks or more before the buds expand into leaves. 
Such plants as are but one year old from the cuttings must be 
cut down to one or two good buds each, according to their strength, 
always cutting about an inch above the bud in a sloping manner, 
and on the opposite side thereto, observing that tlie lowermost bud, 
next the old wood, is never reckoned among the good ones. 
Such of these young plants as have made more than one shoot 
last season must be deprived of all, by cutting them off as close as 
possible to the old wood, except the strongest and best placed; 
which prune as above directed, and cut off such part of the old 
wood, close to this shoot, as appears above it, in order that the 
bark may grow over it and the stem become whole and sound. 
Your two years old plants must be similarly treated, with this 
difference, that you may leave two good buds to each in order to 
form as many strong shoots for the next season. 
The three years old plants must be headed down to two good 
buds, leaving not more than two shoots to each plant, which will 
produce four for the ensuing season; and these, if the plants be in 
good health, will yield fruit very handsomely that year. 
The fourth year of a plant leave it three of the best shoots, head- 
ing them down to two good buds each; and observe to cut off the 
extra bi^anches dose to where they were produced, and in like man- 
ner any decayed wood, as well as the spurs or stumps occasioned 
by last year's pruning; by which treatment all the parts will get 
covered with bark, and the stock be continued in health and 
vigour. 
According as your vines increase in age and strength, you may 
leave from four to eight shoots on a plant, in proportion to its 
strength, each headed down from two to four or five good buds, 
always leaving the greatest number of buds on the most vigorous 
shoots. 
When a vine is extremely vigorous and well furnished, you may 
head one or two of its best shoots at the height of three or four feet, 
which will bear an abundance of fruit; but the others must be headed 
down to two or three buds each, in order that they may produce 
good wood for the ensuing year's bearing and not too much fruit; 
for those which you headed so high must be effectually cut out close 
to where they were produced in the next pruning. 
Having finished your pruning, see that each plant has a good firm 
stake to support the young shoots when produced and advancing in 
growth, and if it be vigorous and of many shoots, a second, or even 
a third, would be more eligible. 
Some inconsiderate persons may think that eight are too few for 
a full grown vine; but if they consider that the eight shoots so 
pruned may produce, on an average, twenty-four, and each of these 
bear three bunches of grapes, making in all seventy-two, they will 
probably view the matter in a different point, especially when they 
