C 1S8 ] 
them you will hurt the bud that produces the grapes 
next year. While you are careful to fasten the 
branches as they grow, never suffer them to run to¬ 
gether in a cluster and to mat, which will infalli¬ 
bly ruin them for bearing the succeeding year.— 
Top the shoots that have been trained in a serpen¬ 
tine manner, as soon as the grapes come to ihe size 
of very small green peas, a joint or two above ihe 
fruit ; but never top the leading shoots nor that which 
you intend should bear fruit ne^t year, 
I sHi^LL now give some directions for the second 
year’s pruning. I would never recommend the 
pruning of vines till the beginning of February.^ 
(March for America :) It is, however, very common 
with some, to begin pruning, soon after the fall of 
the leaf; but if the frost sets in before the wood is 
hard, in particular after wet summers and autumns^ 
it will be very much injured. I have frequently 
seen it almost killed after autumnal pruning. 
In pruning, always make choice of the strongest 
and largest branches, leaving them as long as you 
find the eyes good and plumpy and the wood sound ; 
but, by no means leave them when they become flat; 
as in that case, they seldom bear fruit ; and if they 
do, it will be very small. I never lay in any that 
has less than 15 and from that to 30 good eyes, ac¬ 
cording to the strength of the shoot, which will 
produce two bunches from every good eye, I have 
See page 143. 
