St. Mary's beacon., 1862-08-14

ed to mature fruit, be the quantity ever
so small -
A vine measuring three inches in cir
cumference is capable of maturing lbs
of grapes.
Every additional inch of circumference
increases the fruit bearing capacity el
the vine at the rate Of 10 lbs 4 II is e;lsss
TO ascssssin the fsnportionate quantity 81
fruit fractional part Of an inch Of girt
will produce. An example or two will
suffice: vine measuring four inches in
girt near the ground has the power oi
perfecting IL lbs. Of grapes One Of Az
inches Of girt-22a23 lbs
And rs a shoot grown from fruit-bu.l
will, on an average. produce one hall
pound OF grapes, it is only necessary to
count the buds or eyes to be retained on
the fruit bearing wooI, rejecting the
lowest bud. in order to find the mean
weight of fruit the vine can mature.
Prune the vines at The time previously
Indicated and in the following manner.
T! For the fruit-bearing cane always select
the strongest and if possible the upper
>hoo. and prune ii back to ten eyes from
the sen. The ether or lower shoot cut
back to three or four eyes from the stem
/ The first is now called cane and the
second spur. (This method. termed
the sl'"r-system. is the one best adapted for
the vineyard in our climate; and is the
, one most generally adopted. 1t is further,
more the onl y one by which the vine car
be kept within reach and easy control
! and by which an unreasonable number OF
, spurs and much naked w"'d on the vine
is avoided: aud will therefore be the only
| system explained in these pa.eS)
In mild, damp wcathe~. bend the cane
grntly near its base and tie il horizon.
| tally to the lowest rail, or the next STAKE
i'll the row X
Rub off all !llc needless shoots and
suckers, allowing but t~o shoots to grow
from the spur and one only from eacl,
eye on the cane
Fasten the young shoots to the rails or
stakes rs soon as they are in danger OF
being broken off by high winds, and re-
peat the operation as shown i'll the la.,
chapter
Pinch back the fruit-hcaring shoots,
about the time of bl"ssoming, to one or
two jnints beyond the last bunch. Pincl,
off all the tendrils as fast as they push
or they will break off or otherwise injurc
some of the young shoots. Tht lateral or
side shafts on the stalks retained for the
ensuing year. may be pinched of an irci
beyond the fist Or second joint; but arc
on no account to be pulled off altogether
On the fruit bearing shoots, howeve-,
these arc 10 DO entirely removed.
Allow no insects or their larvae tc
feast on the buds. tender shoots, fruit
blossoms, etc, on the contrary exterminate
them at all times.
The mana cement Of the vine during
the season is in other respects the sam,
as that of last year.
Unite the vines before winter sets in
if their aspect is cold and open one
or bury them if they are Of tcudcs
sort.
The Joar sysfem by which the cane is bent
| in 4 circle and tied 10 the main stem or tbs
! stake, with another tic midway, is in vogue
in so,re localities: Int is rejected by the wri-
! ter for the following reason, which will
speak Cor itself:
The flow Of sap is strongest in vertical
or upward direction, and diminishes AS soul,
as the care approaches horizontal position
| and is weakest in q downward une-thc ter
minal buds often failing TO burst And as :,
/! sho"t. no matter how vigorous. will produce
| from two to four bunches Of grapes rnlv,
and weak shoots hardly aug fruit at all, it
follows that. out of ten eyes contained on a
cane, bent down in circular form, six e.,
from the vertical to the horizontal position
will produce sh,n,ts with II fair average ui
F., fruit while the -f,'ur depressed "ncs will pro
ducc weak sheets with nn. fruit. or nearly
none; and hence tie product OF the vine will
be at least one-thinl below its capacity.
TO BIZ CONTINUED.