1851. 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
211 
Onondaga or Swan’s Orange —“ although 
not in the very first rank for excellence—dif¬ 
ferent specimens varying much in quality,—its 
general good qualities, size, and beauty,—with 
the reputed productiveness, vigorous habit, and 
early hearing of the trees,-—will, it is believed, 
render it worthy of an extended cultivation.” 
The Reine Claude de Bavay Plum— -this 
new variety has excited a greal deal of at¬ 
tention—the Committee say of it, “ it is a plum 
of medium size, of yellowish green color, and 
sweet pleasant flavor—a cling-stone, ripening 
late in the season, and keeping into October— 
thus far hardly maintaining the reputation 
that preceded its introduction.” 
Jenny’s Seedling Strawberry.— “ The 
plants are very hardy and productive; the berries very 
solid and heavy—when perfectly ripe, losing their acidi¬ 
ty, and becoming very fine in flavor. In the opinion of 
your committee, it is a very estimable variety.” 
It appears that a very large number of new fruits, 
introduced under high names and with the highest re¬ 
commendations, ultimately prove of no value. The 
committee arrive at the following very just conclusion:— 
“ Upon the whole, it is believed that it will prove the 
best and safest course for beginners to make their selec¬ 
tions from well known and established kinds; unless, in 
their estimation, the gratification of a desire for novelties. 
—an interest in watching the progress and development 
of some new varieties, and of contributing, from their 
experience a share to the common stock of pomological 
knowledge—form a sufficient recompense for probably 
repeated disappointments.” 
' n 
a 1 
1 AH 
1 ) 
ri \ 
* II 
Jfe 
j 
i 
rn 
t 
I \ 
i 
h; 
> 
1 
! ^ 
\ 
}j 
LI 
ip 
II 
*0 /: 
M 
i__ 
d 
a j 
K-- | a 
l! 
;j ^ 
jj ,| cl. 
V 
) 
Tj\ 
4 
4 
}j 
l ib ^ 
t 
^ i 
j 
7» 
Ill 
m 
Summer Pruning Hardy Grapes. 
“ Mr. Editor:— Will you please furnish a few plain 
and simple directions for pruning out-door hardy grapes, 
for one who has no experience in the matter—mine for 
some years past have been quite neglected, and neither 
the quantity nor the quality of the grapes are what I 
wish. R. D.” 
To suffer the rapid-growing American varieties of the 
grape, as the Isabella and Catawba, to grow without 
pruning or restraint, from a rich and well cultivated soil 
which all should have, is very much like planting a crop 
of corn so thick that no grain can ever be formed or 
properly matured in the midst of its profusion of stalks 
and leaves. A proper thinning by means of pruning be¬ 
comes indispensible. To do this work right we must 
first understand distinctly what is wanted. 
The grape bears its bunches of fruit on shoots of the 
present year’s growth, which spring from buds on shoots 
of the previous year. If therefore, no pruning is given 
the vine, a profusion of shoots will interfere with each 
other’s growth, and all will be weak and feeble; and the 
bunches of fruit will consequently be small, badly ripen¬ 
ed and deficient in flavor. Hence the first requisite is 
to obtain a proper number of vigorous and evenly dis¬ 
tributed shoots. For this purpose, let the vine be trained 
on the trellis as represented in Fig. 1, by extending two 
principal branches or arms each way horizontally, near 
the ground, from which spring upwards the fruit bear¬ 
ing shoots, distributed at regular intervals. When young 
vines are planted this extension must be gradual, re¬ 
quiring some years to cover the intended surface; that 
is the pruning should be such that there may be first only 
two upright shoots, then four, then six, and so on, by 
successive years. If an old vine has been neglected, it 
must be pruned hack in autumn or winter to a mere 
stump, leaving a few buds for new shoots, only two of 
which are to be allowed to grow for forming the horizon¬ 
tal arms. 
After the trellis is covered as shown in Fig. 1, a regu¬ 
lar annual crop is secured by the following management. 
The shoots a. a. a. a. are those of last year’s growth, 
and the short side-shoots springing from them are those 
33 
Fig. 2. 
of the present year which bear the fruit. A portion of 
one of these upright shoots is shown on an enlarged scale 
in Fig. 2,—A B, being the two years’ wood, and the 
smaller side shoots with bunches of fruit, as a, b, those 
of the present year. While these are thus affording a 
crop the current season, provision must be made for the 
next. For this purpose, last years’ bearing shoots were 
to be cut off to a bud each at b. b. b. b, (Fig. 1,) so that 
the strong, upright shoots shown by the dotted lines, 
shall be now growing for next year’s bearers. These 
being the present year’s wood, will of course bear fruit, 
but all the bunches must bo removed as soon as they 
