State Agricultural Society. 325 



Those who have taken up the business here — and this class compose the 

 greater number of vine growers of the State — have had their experiences 

 under as many different circumstances as there are different localities 

 and climates in the State. Hence we say it is not strange that there 

 should be a great difference of opinion on most all subjects connected 

 with the business, and this difference of opinion and practice is very 

 striking in reference to Summer pruning. 



The vine will produce fruit, to some extent, under most all circum- 

 stances and most any mode of treatment, and the same variety of vines 

 undoubtedly require different treatment in different countries, and in 

 different sods in the same countries. Some varieties of grapes require a 

 warm, sunny exposure, like the south and southwest side or slope of a 

 hill, while others require a cool, shaded exj>osm*e, and will do better on 

 the opposite slope of the same lull. Vines, that in Europe, where the 

 atmosphere is humid and the temperature pretty even, night and day, 

 require a southern and very drying exposure, might, in California, do 

 better on a northern exposure; and still nothing but a practical test of 

 this supposition would do to rely upon. 



Thus it will be seen that the management of a vineyard in California 

 is, or should be, different from the management in most other countries 

 in which ain* of our vine growers have had experience — just as different 

 as our climates and soils are different from the climates and soils of those 

 countries. Hence no invariable or universal rule can be safely laid down 

 or followed for any part of such management. 



One important thing that should always be borne in mind, in the prun- 

 ing of a vineyard, in this or any other country, is the fact that grapes 

 always grow on wood grown and matured the previous year, or on wood that is 

 one year old. Hence there are 



TWO LEADING OBJECTS 



To be kept constantly in mind in all operations in the vineyard, and 

 especially in all the pruning operations: 



-First — To secure as large an amount of fruit of good quality each 

 year as the vine, considering its age, its present strength, and future 

 good health, will produce. 



Second — To secure the growth in its proper place on the vine of a suf- 

 ficient amount of good, strong, and well matured wood, with plenty of 

 large, plump, unbroken or dormant fruit buds, to insure a crop of good 

 fruit each succeeding year. Whenever the knife or shears are taken up 

 to be used on a vine these tw T o objects should be remembered, and each 

 cut with the knife or clip with the shears should be with a view to the 

 attainment of these two ends. 



Having called special attention to the leading objects of pruning the 

 vine, which are the same in all countries, and adverted to the influences 

 of soil and climate in different countries and in different localities in the 

 same country, we will now speak more explicitly of the immediate sub- 

 ject under consideration. 



THE FIRST YEAR. 



The object to be obtained the first year after the cutting or year old 

 vine is planted in the permanent vineyard, is to secure a good growth of 

 at least ohe main cane, which shall form the future body of the vine or 

 grape tree, as it may be called. We call it tree for the purpose of giving 



