young growth unmercifully, taking away one-half
of the leaves and young wood at one fell swoop. The consequence is a
stagnation of sap: the wood they have left, cannot, and ought not to
ripen perfectly, and if anything like a cold winter follows, the vines
will either be killed entirely, or very much injured at least. The
intelligent vine dresser will tie his young canes, away from the
bearing wood as much as he can, to give the fruit the fullest
ventilation; but when they have reached the top of the trellis, tie
them along it and let them ramble as they please. They will thus form a
natural roof over the fruit, keep off all injurious dews, and shade the
grapes from above. There is nothing more pleasing to the eye than a
vineyard in September, with its wealth of dark green foliage above, and
its purple clusters of fruit beneath, coyly peeping from under their
leafy covering. Such grapes will have an exquisite bloom, and color, as
well as thin skin and rich flavor, which those hanging in the scorching
rays of the sun can never attain.

MANURING THE VINE.

As remarked before, this will seldom be necessary, if the vintner is
careful enough to guard against washing of the top-soil, and to turn
under all leaves, etc., with the plow in the Fall. The best manure is
undoubtedly fresh surface soil from the woods. Should the vines,
however, show a material decrease in vigor, it may become necessary to
use a top-dressing of decomposed leaves, ashes, bone-dust, charcoal,
etc. Fresh stable-yard manure I would consider the last, and only to be
used when nothing better can be obtained. Turn under with the plow, as
soon as the manure is spread. Nothing, I think, is more injurious than
the continual drenching with slops, dish-water, etc., which some good
souls of housewives are fond of bestowing on their pet grape vines in
the garden. It creates a rank, unwholesome growth, and will cause
mildew and rot, if anything can.

THINNING OF THE FRUIT.

This will sometimes be necessary, to more fully develop the bunches.
The best thinning is the reduction of the number of bunches at the time
of the first summer pruning. If a vine shows more fruit, than the vine
dresser thinks it can well ripen, take away all weak and imperfect
shoots, and also all the small and imperfect bunches. If the number of
bunches on the fruit bearing branches is reduced to two on each, it
will be no injury, but make the remaining number of bunches so much
more p