■i02 Transactions of the 



on the ground; still, to avoid lumps of dirt being taken with the bunohes 

 and also early rams causing them to rot, u is best to bave a Btein ten to 

 twelve inches high, which . at the third year's pruning, 



by riming the cane as high as d< and rubbin; i I 



permitting only the uppermost two shoots to grow. Theso are to be 

 staked up, all suckers removed, and the canes shortened as formerly. 

 Fourth year the two canes are pruned to two buds each, from which 

 four canes are grown, and again these are pinched-in, k . them to 



about three feet high; the ends of the laterals are also shortened one 

 Leaf. The vine now b< ;ins to develop a symmetrical shape, with an 

 upright, Belt-supporting stem. The fourth year also, according to the 

 i quality of the soil and the proper attention given, we may expect 

 a very fair crop of grapes. The fifth year the four canes are cut to the 

 tirsl bud above the collar on the upp< the arm or branch; it' 



there happens to be a bud underneath it should be removed. Thus we 

 obtain mostly two canes from each arm, forming a compact, regular 

 head. 



At each Winter pruning the wood should be cut one eighth of an inch 

 above the bud, with a sharp knife or good working shears, to avoid 

 fracturing or mashing up the end ; and if taken so close to a bud the 

 new growth will soon nearly cover the cut, w if not, the small stum]) is 

 easily pared off, and will heal over the next 8 thus promoting the 



longevitj of the pine, i more destructive than not and 



dry stumps, which check the growth and induce decay. 



There seems to be much dive] anion about Summer pruning. 



Certainly, an indiscriminate slashing of the -rowing ca o be 



permitted, and the general ruh same as in the pruning of other 



fruit trees. The work u> young canes are twelve or 



fourteen inches'high, or about the fourth lea the blossom, by 



pinching • irminal leaf Th only throws the sap to the 



forming bh iso i butpr< fthenew wood, 



rendering it less easily broken by heavy winds. Dhe shorten iug-in ■ 

 repeated during the season, growth, 



always removing onlj me of the mosl 



rampant laterals may be taken off half their length. 



Judicious Summer pruning prevents the formation of unnecessary 

 wood, momizing thus all the sap to I ! i into fruit and 



support; the vine remains in compact shape, and still with an abundance 

 of leaves to perform their function, and the fruit is well shaded from a 

 too sco] ruin;, sun. 



A most reprehensible practice, showin th< lack of knowledge 



and of judgment, is that of removing from the vineyard all the pruniD 

 of i he vines and letting th ■ to waste, thus exhausting the soil n 



idly of those essentia) elements which sustain a healthy vegetable li 

 It is the same skinning, vamlalic pr followed in other agricultural 



opera; oils in California. I able to enrich our vinelands by 



the constant addition of artificial manui 3tly and inaccessible, 



at least ail the primings shouid be chopped up and plow. ler the 



soil, eventually to return again to the light in an increasing Luxuriance 

 of leaf and luscious fruit. 



.). STRENTZEL, Contra Costa. 



