This method of pruning differs materially from that this season adopted by A. B. Butler. He leaves now only from five to eight spurs on the vines, generally the lesser number. He maintains that his object is to produce large and superior grapes, and not to have his vines overbear. The outcome of such close pruning has not yet been demonstrated, but it may be possible that this is the proper way. Mr. Butler has certainly one point in his favor, and that is that it has not yet been demonstrated that very close pruning causes the disease known as black-knot, as quite frequently the unpruned vines show this disease much more than those which are pruned close. Another point in favor of this pruning is that it has been practiced in Malaga for years without any ill effects. But, before such very close pruning can be generally recommended, our experience in this direction should be more extensive, and several years more will be necessary to come to any satisfactory conclusion in this respect. We know, however, that too many (say from twenty to twenty-five) spurs will exhaust the low-headed Muscatel vines, and in order to bring such vines back to proper bearing it has been found necessary to reduce the number of spurs at once to one-third and then gradually increase their number as the vines grow stronger. Every grower should study his own vines and adapt the number of spurs to the quality of the crop. If the crop is inferior, reduce the number; if again the crop is superior, we may try to gradually give a few more spurs in order to reach the greatest yield of first-class grapes. In pruning the spurs, the cut should be made a little above the eye or bud, and not so close to it that it will be injured and dry out. Suckers from the roots should be removed to a limited extent, that is, now and then a sucker may be left in order to give material for forming a new head, if this should be found necessary. But as a rule the many suckers which rise from the roots should be removed in early spring with a sharp-pointed stick, and even those which rise from below the regular head should be broken off while young, or be pruned off in winter time.