SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
303 
HOW TO BEND THE BOWS. 
'‘This requires much practice and skill, or else much 
damage will be done by breaking the branches. The 
bows should be formed before the buds swell, or else 
many of them will be stripped ofFbyevena careful work- 
man — the great point being to have them round as possi- 
ble, and all breaks and sharp bends should be carefully 
avoided. Morning is the best time, because the vines 
then bend easy. In the afternoon they are dryer, and 
hence more apt to break. Taking the end of the vine in one 
hand and the part immediately following the thigh, in the 
other, and while passing the vine round with one hand, 
pressing it into form by following it out from joint to joint 
with the thumb of the other hand, and then tying the end 
with a willow or some soft substance, avoid tying too 
tight." 
ON TRIMMING GENERALLY. 
This important labor, whether for young or old vines, 
should be done early— if possible before the first of March, 
at any rate before the sap begins to flow; (in Hancock 
county and farther south, it should be done early in Feb- 
ruary or before) because through late trimmings much 
sap is lost, and in consequence thereof the vine is apt to 
become sickly and decay.” (As previously stated, the 
smooth bark vines such as Scuppernong, Muscadine, &c., 
&,c., must be trimmed early in the fall, soon after the fall- 
ing of the leaf) “It would be well if our vintners would 
use all the pleasant days through the winter for this pur- 
pose ; but trimming too early is not to be recommended " 
“Before trimming, it is proper to remove the earth from 
around the head, so as to expose, for 3 or 4 inches, the 
stem. This is necessary, so that the trimmer may, by 
examining the thickness of the stem, have a safe guide as 
to the quantity of bearing wood to be left to the vine. The 
surface roots growing annually out of the head, are now 
cut away, so as to leave the head nice and clean of weeds, 
sprouts and roots. It is improper to go down to the third 
joint on the stem below the head, and cutting olF the 
loots." 
As a general rule, vines having a tendency to generate 
much wood, as our American vines have — should be left 
with more bearing wood — and the better or heavier the 
soil, the greater quantity ot wood the vines will bear. In 
light warm soils, the vines should be loaded lightly with 
bearing wood. 
“Vines up to the sixth year should be trimmed close — 
old vines should be dealt with very gently. Then they 
may give little, but good wine. Frosted vines or such 
as have been injured by hail, or other accidents, must be 
trimmed back, so as to provide for new growth in every 
hajured part." 
“Vines intended for two bows must, of necessity, have 
two stakes about 2 feet apart, and such vines have two 
thighs. At the end of the thighs are the bows which were 
the chief bearing wood of the season previous. At the 
first joint above the thigh is the bearing wood, this was 
left to be trimmed down to 6 or 8 joints or buds, and to 
form from it the bow or chief bearing wood for the ensu- 
aummer. Below the thighs there are generally two spurs 
left which should be trimmed down to one joint, or bud, 
80 as to have an extra spur ready if, accidentally, it should 
be needed for renovating the vine with new bearing wood. 
There are also two ground shoots, one of these must be 
cut away, the other had better be trimmed down to 3 or 4 
joints so as to have it ready in case either of the thighs 
should be broken off Such a ground shoot should also 
be trained, wherever sound judgment prognosticates Uie 
probable future unfitness of existing thighs." 
ON SUMMER TRIMMING ESPECIALLY. 
“This labor requires much skill, judgment and experi- 
fac«. Errors in winter trimming, may now be remedied 
by an expert summer trimmer, by promoting, at the pro- 
per places, those shoots which the vine stands in need of 
Errors in summer trimming are harder to remedy, for ob- 
vious reasons. Whoever, therefore, attempts trimming iri 
summer should fully understand, for the two operations 
are intimately connected. In summer timming, the vine- 
dresser must have regard for the trim which is to follow 
itie succeeding winter. One important point is to know 
where, that is, at what part of the vine to leave the shoot 
untrimmed, and which shoots to trim away. Some retain 
simply the thriftiest branches, regardless of the place they 
grow upon, which is a great error. If the bows are pro- 
perly fastened to the stakes, tlie shoots 'twl to be trimmed 
will stand immediately upon or near the stake. A shoot 
will also be retained upon each spur. For a vigorous vine 
three shoots may be left, two upon each of the bows and 
one upon each spur — also trim one out of the head, the 
object of the latter being to be pi epare<l for renovating the 
thighs. Should there be grapes upon any of the shoots 
to be trimmed, then they should be so pinched oif as to 
leave one leaf at least, it not two, beyond the otter grepe. 
In fact, no shoot should be entirely brtiken off— one or two 
leaves should always be retaitied. To keep ilie vine in 
good bearing order, it is absolutely necessary so to trim 
or dress the vine in summer, as to enable the winter trim- 
mer to renovate constantly, and to replace entirely the 
thighs every 4 to 6 years. No thigh should be older than 
five years. Hence the lowest shoots are retained upon 
the bows, and hence, too, one shoot is retained upon each 
of the spurs, these being intended for gradual renovation, 
while the ground shoots, are intended for entirely new 
thighs. When this labor is to be performed cannot be in- 
dicated by general rule. As soon as the shoots are 12 or 
14 inches long, it it time to mm them, and dress and fas- 
ten them up ; most generally the proper time is the latter 
part of May, or early in June .” — [Sandersville Georgian, 
TO BE CONTINUED. 
OVERSEERS’ RULES. 
The following rules were laid down by a good orer- 
seer in Jackson Parish, La., and published in the 
Read them : 
1. Before going to bed, I will think over what I have 
to do the next day, and note it down upon my slate, in 
order that it mav be recollected on the morrow. 
2. I shall rise early, and never let the negroes catch me 
in bed of a morning, but see that they are all put regularly 
to their work. 
3. After rising I shall not idle about, but go directly at 
the business of my employer. I shall see that the negroes 
are at their work; that the horses have been fed, the cat- 
tle attended to, &c. If any of the negroes have been re- 
ported as sick, 1 shall at once see that proper medicineand 
attendance are given. 
4. Wherever the negroes are working, I shall consider 
it my du'y to be frequently with ihem, in order that I 
may see how they get along. I shall not content my- 
self with doing this once a day, but I shall do so repeat- 
edly, observing every time what they are doing and how 
they do it. I shall never permit them to do any work 
wrong if it takes the whole day to do it right. 
5. Negroes —I .shall see that the negroes are regularly 
fed, and that they keep themselves clean. Once a week 
at least, I shall go into each of their houses, and see that 
they have been swept out and cleaned. I shall examine 
their blankets, &c , and see that they have been well 
aired; that everything has been attended to which con- 
duces to their comfort and happiness. 
6. Horses . — 1 shall consider it my business to see that 
the horses are properly fed and rubbed ; their stable is 
well iiliered. When harnessed and at work, 1 shaU see 
