r vines from the next root; upright shoots from these will extend
to the top of the trellis, and it is then covered, and the work is
complete. After these upright canes have borne, cut off every alternate
one, two or three inches from its base, and train up the strongest shoot
for a bearer next year: thus cut off and train new alternate ones every
year, and the vine will be constantly renewing, and be in the most
productive state; keep the vines clipped at the top of the trellis, and
the sap will mature strong buds for next year's fruit. We regard this
the most effectual of all training. The principle of renewal can be
applied to any form of vine, and eminently promotes fruitfulness. Many
complain that their vines, though liberally pruned, do not bear well.
The difficulty may be that the new wood is principally removed, while
the old is left to throw out strong-growing shoots, bearing abundance of
foliage and little fruit. More of the old wood removed, and more of the
young saved, would have produced less vines and much more fruit.

_Pruning_--is the most important part of successful grape-culture.
Mistakes on this subject are very injurious. Let vines grow in their own
way, and you will have much wood and foliage, and very little, poor
fruit. Some cut off the shoots in summer just above the fruit, and
remove most of the leaves around it to expose the fruit to the sun. This
often proves to be a ruinous mistake; the sap ascends to the leaves, and
there amalgamates with what they absorb from the atmosphere, and thus
forms food for the vine and fruit. It is the leaves, and not the fruit,
which need the sun: the leaves are the lungs, upon the action of which
the life and health of the fruit depend. Blight of the leaves destroys
the fruit, and a frequent repetition of it destroys the vine.
Grape-vines should not be pruned at all until three years old, as it
retards the growth of the roots, and thus weakens the vines. Older vines
should be freely pruned in November or December; pruned in winter they
_may_ bleed in the spring, and pruned in the spring they _certainly_
will bleed. Tender vines, not protected, may have an excess of wood left
in the fall to allow for what may perish in winter; in this case, cut
away the dead and surplus wood in spring, but never until the leaves are
well developed, so as to prevent bleeding. Necessary summer-pruning is
of much importance. Remove no leaves, except the ends of branches, that
have al