becomes fully developed. The canes from the spurs,
which we left unchecked, and which we design to bear fruit the next
season, may now also be stopped or pinched, when they are about three
feet long, to start their laterals into stronger growth. Pinch off all
the tendrils; this is a very busy time for the vine-dresser, and upon
his close attendance and diligence now, depends, in a great measure,
the value of his crop. Besides, "a stitch in time saves nine," and he
can save an incredible amount of labor by doing everything at the
proper time.

[Illustration: FIG. 12.]

In a short time, the laterals on the fruit-bearing branches which have
been pinched will throw out suckers again. These are stopped again,
leaving one leaf of the young growth. Leave the laterals on the canes
intended for next years' fruiting to grow unchecked, tying them neatly
with bass, or pawpaw bark, or with rye straw.

This is about all that is necessary for this summer, except an
occasional tying up of a fruiting branch, should its burden become more
than it can bear. But the majority of the branches will be able to
sustain their fruit without tying, and the young growth which may yet
start from the laterals may be left unchecked, as it will serve to
shade the fruit when ripening. Of course, the soil must be kept clean
and mellow, as in the former summer. This short pruning is also a
partial preventative against mildew and rot, and the last extremely wet
season has again shown the importance of letting in light and air to
all parts of the vine; as those vineyards, where a strict system of
early summer pruning had been followed, did not suffer half as much
from rot and mildew as those where the old slovenly method still
prevailed.

My readers will perceive, that Fall-pruning, or shortening-in the
ripened wood of the vine, and summer-pruning, shortening in and
thinning out the young growth, have one and all the same object in
view, namely, to keep the vine within proper bounds, and concentrate
all its energies for a two-fold object, namely, the production and
ripening of the most perfect fruit, and the production of strong,
healthy wood for the coming season's crop. Both operations are, in
fact, only different parts of one and the same system, of which
summer-pruning is the preparatory, and fall pruning the finishing part.

If we think that a vine is setting more fruit than it is able to bear
and ripen perfectly, we have it in our power to thin