54 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ January 20, 1887. 
out in each year so soon as the Grapes are cut, and the other shoot 
is cut back to a couple of eyes. The Vines do all the better for 
the extra foliage. 
The Vine does not make such large foliage against a wall as it 
does under glass. Under glass the rods should be 4 feet apart, 
and if those in the house are given 4 feet 6 inches it will be an 
advantage, therefore we must plant according to the variety we 
want and time allowed for covering. A Vine with one rod will 
give as fine Grapes as another with two rods. A large Vine neither 
gives larger bunches nor larger berries than a small one. In the 
case of the house, the lean-to of 6 feet in addition to the strong¬ 
growing sorts on the wall, we can train up a rod at every 8 feet of 
Frontignans. The shade will not greatly prejudice the Vines on 
the wall if they are kept within reasonable bounds and thinly 
disposed in the spur shoots, besides which, a line of growth can be 
taken all along the front just above the front boards, and this will 
give some acceptable Grapes without injury to the other. In no 
case must there be a “grabbing” system practised. The Vine 
gives returns for proper treatment bounteously ; it resents bad 
treatment in a remarkable manner, especially overcrowding and 
overcropping. 
When the eyes break and the shoots advance we rub off all but 
those wanted. Secure the growths loosely, as the shoots thicken 
fast and tightness may destroy many yards of growth. Stop the 
laterals at the first leaf, pinch or cut off the tendrils, and if the 
lead breaks into two reserve one and cut the other away. Let the 
shoots have all the run they seek, and stop all side growths above 
the joint as made. If unequal in growth, depress the strong or 
raise the weak. If for training horizontally, take three shoots, 
train all up, depress (if any) the centre one, get as much equal 
vigour as possible into the two side ones. The foliage being off, we 
have ripe wood with plump eyes at the base upward. Leave all that 
is brown and hard. If a cane leave it 6 to 8 feet long ; if two, and 
ripe to that extent, make both alike and cut away the laterals. The 
■wood not being ripe so long cut back to where it is. Unripe wood 
is useless. Bring down the canes, and if two are wanted take 
u prights 18 inches on the side of the stem ; if more, take each to 
4 feet G inches from the stem, then up if four uprights are wanted, 
if more continue horizontal. The canes should be taken up with 
a bend, not an angle. 
Spring or warmth will bring up the sap, the eyes will swell 
b efore that occurs in the upper part of the canes ; bring them down 
h r izontally, even depress the ends below the base. It will cause 
the base eyes to break evenly with the top and all along. The 
cane being a single one, take a shoot as near the base as possible to 
the right, and on the same side take another 18 inches or as near as it 
can be above it, and so on. On the other side take a shoot 9 inches 
higher than that on the opposite side, and then 18 inches asunder 
upward, so that we have shoots 18 inches apart on opposite sides of 
the cane or rod as it now is, and the uppermost shoot is trained as 
leader, allowing it to grow unchecked, as the one it forms a con¬ 
tinuation of did in the previous year, and it is to be treated in 
precisely the same manner, also succeeding ones, until the allotted 
area is covered. 
In the case of horizontal training, we have three shoots or 
canes. The two side or lowest ones are trained horizontally about 
1 foot from the soil and only have the unripe wood removed. The 
centre one is cut back to 18 inches, and we take three growths from 
it as in the previous year, and so on year by year. Along the 
horizontal canes rub off all buds except those suitably situated at 
18 inches apart, and train the terminal in as leader—that is, to be 
subjected to the same course as its forerunner. In addition to those 
modes of training there is the serpentine mode. It is a way to 
have as much useless rod as possible, and is at best fanciful. There 
is also the “ no-particular-system.” It is a good one, for it aims at 
keeping the space well furnished with bearing wood, young growths 
being trained in to replace old or those that are weakened by bearing, 
and it answers capitally. The thing with it is to get the wood ripe, 
and that can only be effected by the foliage having proper exposure 
to light and air, so that it is done upon the soundest principles. 
The spurs are trained similarly to the others, and when they are 
enfeebled that part of the Vine is cut out and a young well-ripened 
cane trained in its place. It is a matter of getting the space covered 
with bearing wood and keeping it replenished. It is hardly possible 
to train a Vine wrongly, only have young wood so disposed as to 
form plump buds, short jointed, thoroughly solidified, and ripened ; 
retaining none other for fruiting. Let a Vine go wild, and it soon 
becomes a thicket of unfruitfulness. 
Stopping. —The bearing shoots should be stopped one or two 
joints beyond the show of fruit. If no fruit show, stop at the 
sixth joint. Pinch out the point of the laterals below the bunch 
at the first leaf, or rub them off, except from the two lowest leaves. 
Above the bunch let the laterals extend if there is space. When 
that is covered stop and keep them closely pinched afterwards to 
one leaf as made, and if likely to crowd the principal leaves rub 
them off. Never allow growth to get beyond the control of the 
finger and thumb, and always retain intact the principal foliage, 
especially that of the base buds, and the laterals are best retained 
on these in vigorous Vines, lest by close stopping above they should 
be forced into growth. 
Cropping.—A bunch of Grapes may be taken off every shoot 
at the distance indicated—viz., 18 inches, and this will be an allow¬ 
ance of 2j square feet. A pound is plenty for Vines to give year 
after year in such a space, so if the bunches are large the Vines 
Fig. 9.—Frioj verticilUta. 
must be eased by reducing the number. The crop should also be 
apportioned to the vigour of the Vines. Very vigorous Vines may 
carry heavier crops than those moderately vigorous, and those again 
may have more fruit taken than from weak Vines. It is matter 
for rational consideration. If error is made it should be on the 
safe side—under rather than over-cropping. Quality is everything 
in Grapes. 
Thinning.— The shoots will show, perhaps, more bunches than 
are wanted. Only wait until the best can be distinguished, then 
remove the others. To leave them until after flowering only 
induces a bad set, for it is absurd to suppose two bunches will set 
better than one, though one on a shoot is likely to set better 
than two. When fairly swelling (the berries being the size of small 
green Peas) commence thinning. Take out the small and stoneless 
berries first, then thin so that the berries will have room for swelling 
to their full size without wedging and forcing the berries out of 
shape. Avoid, on the other hand, taking out so many that the 
bunch will have a loose appearance and not keep itself in position 
when cut and placed on the dessert dish. I should not like to 
decide as to whether a bunch too little thinned or an over-thinned 
bunch of Grapes is the most unsightly. It is difficult to tell how 
to thin Grapes. Inexperienced persons should first cut out the 
' small berries, wait a few days, and then thin out what seems super- 
