THE GRAPE. 
331 
What we have already stated, in page 300, respecting prun- 
ing will apply equally well here. If the vine is fully exposed 
to the sun it will require very little summer pruning ; in fact, 
none, except stopping the young shoots three joints beyond the 
farthest bunch of grapes, at midsummer — for the leaves being 
intended by nature to elaborate the sap, the more we can retain 
of them, (without robbing the fruit unduly of fluids expended 
in making new growth,) the larger and higher flavoured will be 
the fruit ; careful experiments having proved that there is no 
more successful mode of impoverishing the crop of fruit than 
that of pulling off the leaves. 
In the axils of the leaves by the side of the buds, which are 
to send forth shoots for next season’s crops — branches called 
laterals push forth which should be pinched off at the first 
leaf — and at the next leaf where they start again ; generally the 
second stopping will be sufficient. 
The annual pruning of the hardy grapes is usually per- 
formed during mild days in February or March — at least a 
month before vegetation is likely to commence. Many cul- 
tivators prefer to prune their vines in November, and, except 
for cold latitudes or exposures, this is undoubtedly the better 
season. 
Every third year, at least, the borders where the vines are 
growing should have a heavy top-dressing of manure. The 
vine soon exhausts the soil within its reach, and ceases, bearing 
well when that is the case. We have frequently seen old and 
impoverished vines entirely resuscitated by digging in about 
the roots, as far as they extend, a very heavy top-dressing of 
slightly fermented stable manure. 
Vineyard Culture. While many persons who have either 
made or witnessed the failures in raising the foreign grapes in 
vineyards in this country, believe it is folly for us to attempt 
to compete with France and Germany in wine-making, some of 
our western citizens, aided by skilful Swiss and German vine- 
dressers — emigrants to this country, have placed the fact of 
profitable vineyard culture beyond a doubt, in the valley of the 
Ohio. The vineyards on the Ohio, now covering many acres, 
produce regular, and very large crops, and their wine of the 
different characters of Madeira, Hock, and Champagne, brings 
very readily from 7 5 cents to one dollar a gallon in Cincinnati. 
The Swiss, at Vevay, first commenced wine-making in the 
West, but to the zeal and fostering care of N. Longworth, Esq., 
of Cincinnati, one of the most energetic of western horticul- 
turists, that district of country owes the firm basis on which 
the vine culture is now placed. The native grapes — chiefly 
the Catawba — are entirety used there, and as many parts of 
the middle States are quite as favourable as the banks of the 
Ohio for these varieties, the much greater yield of these grapes 
