122 Agricultural Gazette ofN.S.W. [Feb. 2, 1920. 



trained rather higher, and may go up to 12 to 14 inches. In practice, some 

 experienced growei's train their vines even higher. This is more particularly 

 so in the county of Cumberland, N.S.W., largely owing to the length of the 

 bunches of the varieties grown. In South Australia and Victoria the ten- 

 dency is to reduce the height of the stem as much as possible. The clo.ser the 

 fruit-bearing wood is so the soil tlie greater will be the proportion of sugar 

 in the fruit, and therefore it is a disadvantage to increase the height of the 

 stem unnecessarily. Provided that the young vine is supported by stakes 

 during the years of formation, a 10-inch stem becomes stout enough to 

 withstand the effects of wind pressure. The higher the stem the less resis- 

 tance, and therefore the greater need of stakes. 



The young vines at the end of the iirst year's growth will be carrying 

 canes of varying strength. It is not wise to seek to establish the stem from 

 weak growth, and therefore, unless a vigorous cane can be secured, it is wiser 

 to remove all but the one cane and to shorten that back to a spur of two 

 buds. Subdivision at this stage not only overtaxes the strength of the young 

 vine, but it establishes the main arms too close to the ground. A strong 

 cane is required which can next year be cut back to the required height. 

 This stage in formation is figured in the illustration, Fig. Ha, with the 

 resulting growth in the following summer. In some cases it is the practice 

 to allow but one cane to develop, all the others being disbudded. Such a 

 practice requires very careful treatment of the selected cane, for, in case of 

 accident, there is no other as an alternative. Apart from this, the unneces- 

 sary interference with the foliage of young vines is not to be recommended. 

 Most young vines will carry two good canes quite satisfactorily. 



The next step in the training is shown in Fig. 11b, the best available 

 cane being cut back to rather more than :he height of the proposed stem. 

 The second bud from the top should be about the height, as the main arms 

 will be developed from these two or three buds. It is well to leave a long 

 intei'node above the topmost bud in order to tie to the stake. The growth 

 from this stem will vary, but there should be no difficulty in securing, at any 

 rate, two main branches at the next pruning. The pruner must exei'cise his 

 judgment and establish the arras according to the strength of the vine. Each 

 vine must be treated individually, pruning it in accordance with its growth, 

 for the reason that it is rare to find absolute uniformity in any number of 

 young vines. 



Fig. llf! shows the stem with two main arms estal)lished, each consisting 

 of a strong two-bud spur. In addition, one spur .shows a well-developed 

 base bud. The summer growth is illustrated as fi^'e good canes from which 

 the secondary ariiis will be chosi-n. These canes will in all probability have 

 carried fruit during the summer. 



In Fig. 11d the vine is shown pruned with two spurs upon each main 

 arm. Tiin choice of these spurs should be from the canes best designed to 

 give a symmetrical formation to the crown of the vine. 



Although four spurs ai*e figured it may be advisable in some cases to 

 create only three, or it maj' even be necessary to reduce to two again if the 



