382 WISCONSIN STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
The entire removal of the lateral, as practiced by some, I con¬ 
sider very objectionable. Springing as it does from the axil of 
the leaf and shoot, its removal leaves a wound where there should 
be none, as, close beside it, the dormant bud is perfecting, and 
nothing should be done that will disturb its perfect formation. 
Then again, the dormant bud may push if the growth be rank; 
this is not liable to occur where the lateral is pinched to one leaf. 
Only a single shoot should be allowed to grow on each plant 
until the stock is of sufficient size for the bearing canes to be grown, 
and this always from the lowest bud on the spur if possible. 
The bearing canes may be safely grown when the stock is half 
an inch in diameter. 
During the first year, and until the vine is in bearing, the main 
shoot should be allowed to grow without checking, until late in 
August, when it should be stopped. This insures the full devel¬ 
opment of the roots, the perfect ripening of shoots and buds, and 
the leaves will drop from ripeness without waiting for frost. 
When the vine is in bearing, the shoots should be stopped at from 
two to four leaves beyond the last cluster, according to the vigor 
of the vine ; some varieties requiring greater length of shoot than 
others, owing to their rampant growth. 
If a shoot is feeble in growth it can usually be made vigorous 
by allowing two or three of its upper laterals to grow unchecked 
until the proper size is obtained, when they should be pinched 
back. Daring this time all the laterals on the vigorous shoots 
should be closely checked, for if one part of the vine leads off in 
growth it is sure to maintain it unless held in check. In this 
manner the vine can be made to grow and produce fruit evenly, 
and the watching of this process of developing a weak shoot will 
be found exceedingly interesting. 
THE TENDRIL. 
Thus far I have only spoken of the shoots and laterals as 
necessary to check. But there is another member of this annual 
family growth, which though usually unnoticed we may find 
deserving of attention. I refer to the tendril. We tie our vines 
to the trellis, and as the tendril is only a “ twining support,” it 
becomes useless, and hence seems of no account. But let us give 
