ood earnest. It will be perceived that the
vine has three different sections or principal branches, each with
three canes. Cut one of these back to two eyes, and the other two to
six or eight buds each, according to the strength of the vine, as shown
in Figure 15. The next spring tie these neatly to the trellis, and when
the young shoots appear thin out the weakest, and leave the others to
grow unchecked. The next fall cut back as indicated by the black cross
lines, the weakest to be cut back to one or two eyes, and the stronger
ones to three or four, the spurs at the bottom to come in as a reserve,
should any of the branches become diseased. Figure 16 shows the manner
of pruning.

[Illustration: FIG. 16.]

In this manner a vine can be made, in course of time, to cover a large
space, and get very old. The great vine at Windsor Palace was planted
more than sixty years ago, and in 1850 it produced two thousand large
bunches of magnificent grapes. The space covered by the branches was
one hundred and thirty-eight feet long, and sixteen feet wide, and it
had a stem two feet nine inches in circumference. This is one of the
largest vines on record. They should, however, be strongly manured to
come to full perfection.

Other authorities prefer the Thomery system of training, but I think it
much more complicated and difficult to follow. Those wishing to follow
it will find full directions in DR. GRANT'S and FULLER'S books, which
are very explicit on this method.

OTHER METHODS OF TRAINING THE VINE.

There are many other systems in vogue among vine-dressers in Germany
and France, but as our native grapes are so much stronger in growth,
and are in this climate so much more subject to mildew and rot, I think
these methods, upon the whole, but poorly adapted to the wants of our
native grapes, however judicious they may be there. I will only mention
a few of them here; one because it is to a great extent followed in
Mexico and California, and seems to suit that dry climate and arid soil
very well; and the other, because it will often serve as a pretty
border to beds in gardens. The first is the so-called buck or stool
method of training. The vine is made to form its head--_i.e._, the part
from which the branches start--about a foot above the ground, and all
the young shoots are allowed to grow, but summer-pruned or checked just
beyond the last bunch of grapes. The next spring all of the young
shoots are cut back to two eyes,