ow prune to a spur of two eyes; and another,
which was stopped at about three feet, and on which the laterals were
allowed to grow unchecked. We therefore have one of these canes, with
its laterals, on each side of the vine. These laterals are now pruned
precisely as the last season, each being cut back to from four to six
eyes, and the old cane, which has borne fruit, is cut away altogether.
With Norton's Virginia, Taylor, and some others, which will bear more
readily on spurs from old wood, the old cane is retained, provided the
shoots on it are sound and healthy, with well developed buds; the weak
ones are cut away altogether, and the others cut back to two eyes each.
One of the canes is pruned, as in the Concord, to be tied to one side
of the trellis, the next spring. This closes our summer and fall
pruning for the third year. Of the gathering of the fruit, as well for
market as for wine, I shall speak in another chapter.

TREATMENT OF THE VINE THE FOURTH SUMMER.

We may now consider the vine as established, able to bear a full crop,
and when tied to the trellis in spring, to present the appearance, as
shown in Fig. 13. The operations to be performed are precisely the same
as in its third year.

[Illustration: FIG. 13.]

In addition, I will here remark, that in wet seasons the soil of the
vineyard should be stirred as little as possible, as it will bake and
clog, and in dry seasons it should be deeply worked and stirred, as
this loose surface-soil will retain moisture much better than a hard
surface. Should the vines show a decrease in vigor, they may be manured
with ashes or compost, or still better, with surface-soil from the
woods. This will serve to replenish the soil which may have been washed
off and is much more beneficial than stable manure. When the latter is
applied, a small trench should be dug just above the vine, the manure
laid in, and covered with soil. But an abundance of fresh soil, drawn
up well around the vine, is certainly the best of all manures.

Where a vine has failed to grow the first season, replant with extra
strong vines, as they will find it difficult to catch up with the
others; or the vacancy can be filled up the next season, by a layer
from a neighboring vine, made in the following manner: Dig a trench
from the vine to the empty place, about eight to ten inches deep, and
bend into it one of the canes of the vine, left to grow unchecked for
that purpose, and pruned to the proper