Ik moderate and dry weather, pruning the vines may be continued throughout this month. In the South, it should be finished. Here, we have nearly a month longer to prune, for the sap in the vine seldom rises before the latter end of March. If it does, we are in danger of frosts nipping the young shoots late in April, or early in May. The method of pruning was stated in the "Calendar" for March last, and also for December, and it is therefore unnecessary to repeat it now. The treatment of the wine after it is racked off, will be the same as recommended last month: "Keep the casks full, and the bungs tight".

Should new plantings be required, this will be a good month to prepare the ground, either by trenching with the spade, or subsoil ploughing. The latter, if done thoroughly, by deep furrows, and then cross-ploughing, is much the cheapest, and, in moderately light soils, will answer nearly as well as trenching.

Cuttings intended for planting in the new vineyard, should be buried in the earth until wanted to set out. New stakes should be charred at the lower end, or coated with coal-tar, to make them last longer in the ground. The careful vine-dresser may also find other jobs to do now that will relieve the pressure of work thrown upon him by the opening of spring.

N. B. - In the " Calendar" for March last, " buds" was printed for butts, in cuttings, and "roots'* for frost, in treating of layers.

Vineyard Calendar #1

PRUNING the vines should be finished by the middle of this month. If cut at a later period, they would be injured by bleeding, or flowing of the sap. The method of pruning has been given in former articles. The spur and bow system is generally adopted when the vine is trained to a single stake; but, on trellises, the horizontal and bow-shaped training is of course the best. Some of our cultivators are now trying experiments to prevent mildew and rot, by long training, or leaving more wood than formerly. Others have no faith in that remedy for diseases, which they consider mainly atmospheric. Stakes may be driven the latter end of this month, when the frost is out of the ground, and the vines tied to the stakes with willow ties, in soft weather, when the vines are pliable, and will not break by bending. The forenoon is the best part of the day for this purpose.

It would be too soon to plough or hoe the vineyard this month, unless the season should be unusually early, and the ground warm and dry towards the latter end of the month.

Vineyard Calendar #2

This is a busy month for the vine-dresser, as, in this and the three succeeding months, the crop has to be made. Driving in stakes that may have been loosened by the frosts of winter, replacing by new ones those that have rotted off, tying the vines to the stakes, and, towards the latter part of the month, hoeing or ploughing the vineyard, if the ground is in order, are the principal duties that crowd upon the vine-dresser in April. Some of the stakes that have rotted off at the surface of the ground, may still be long enough to sharpen and drive in again. Stakes should be six and a half to seven feet long at first, so that they may bear to be sharpened, and driven in two or three times; they may thus be used for many years.

The process of tying the vines to the stakes is simple, and has been given in a former article, but I will here repeat it. The branch is bent round in the form of a bow, or three-fourths of a circle; the top part or centre of this bow is fastened to the stake by a willow tie; the top end of the branch (which now becomes the lower part of the bow) is either fastened close to the stake by the same kind of tie, or left a few inches from it. This is done in soft weather, in the forepart of the day, when the branch is pliable, and will not readily break.

Hoeing or ploughing should only be done when the ground is mellow, or in order for working.

This is also the month for planting new vineyards. Lay off the ground (previously prepared) by a line, and put down a stick about fifteen inches long where each vine is to stand, at distances of three feet by six, three and one-half by seven, or four by eight feet apart, as may be preferred. Then plant the cuttings or vines, when the ground is in order, by digging a hole about a foot deep (the width of the spade), and fifteen inches long. Plant two cuttings, in a slanting position, eight inches apart below, and one inch above ground, leaving the top bud even with the surface, and fill the hole up nearly full, to be afterwards filled up at the first hoeing. If both cuttings grow, take up one to replace failures, or cut it off under ground, as but one vine should be left to each stake. Vines may be planted a foot deep, and the holes filled up at once.

The wine has to be merely treated as directed in last month. Keep the casks full, and the bungs tight.

Vineyard Calendar #3

This is said to be an idle month for the vine-dresser; but that is a sad mistake. Much has to be done, and at the right time, too. Tying the vines to the stakes will of course have been finished by the middle of last month, and probably hoeing or ploughing by the latter end of it. Many cultivators prefer not to work their vineyards until the first week in May, to prevent the buds from pushing out too early, and being exposed to injury from late spring frosts. My own observation favors this recommendation.

With the first warm weather in this month, the young shoots will grow rapidly. Superfluous ones should be rubbed off, especially those from the main stock near the ground, leaving one on stalks that are too long, that it may make a shoot in two or three years strong enough to cut down to, and form a new head for the vine. By this means, the vine is kept down to a proper height, and within reach and control. When the blossom or fruit buds are fairly developed, and just before they expand, the top end of the tender branch is pinched off within two or three joints of the last or upper bud. The canes or branches intended for bearing wood next year (two or three), are never pinched in.

Towards the latter end of this month - if the season is early - many lateral shoots will require pinching or cutting out, that the strength of the vine may go to the fruit, and not be expended in useless suckers. Tying up the young fruit branches to the stakes, may also be necessary at this time. Ties made of rye straw are the cheapest and best. Take a handful of straw; make the butts even, and cut the heads off; wet them, and take two or three straws, and twist round the young vine and the stake, and fasten the ends like the band round a sheaf of wheat, cutting off the ends if too long. By an expert hand, this is done very quick. Wheat straw is the next best to rye.