Sep. 2, 1920.] 



Agricultural Gazette of N.S.W. 



657 



For general wine-growing conditions, the short-armed types of training are 

 very satisfactory, and they adapt themselves to the majority of the wine 

 varieties of grape. Table grapes, which are generally grown under more 

 favourable conditions of soil and climate, may, by reason of the greater 

 vigour induced, be trained on the more extended forms of spaliers and 

 cordons. The Zante currant is extended similarly, even to the extent of 

 creatinsT more than one set of main arms. 



The Sultana vine, on the other hand, in spite of its great vigour, does not 

 respond if the main arms are over-long. The system most usually adopted 

 for this vine is to establish a stout stem, with two short arms of about 15 

 inches in length, upon which a number of strong fruiting i"oda are established 

 from year to year, in conjunction with a number uf spurs for renewal of 

 wood. Some growers entirely eliminate the arms with the Sultana, and 

 hare simply a straight stem, at the summit of which the fruiting rods and 

 spurs are placed. This arrangement would appear to be going to the 

 extreme, but nevertheless, satisfactory results are secured under certain 

 conditions. 



^AJ^ VAAJ 



Fig. 15. — Note loss of space owing to faulty formation at the crown in A. 



Thomery Spalier System. 



This system of training is one well adapted to strong-growing table 

 varieties, or vines growing under iri'igation. The typical vine consists of a 

 straight stem which may be of variable height, and which has at the summit 

 of this stem two strong arms extending one on either side of the vine to 

 form as near as possible a perfect T. The length of the arms is adapted to 

 the vigour of the vine and the conditions under which it may be growing. 

 Upon the main arms the secondary arms will be distributed at even dis- 

 tances, and upon these will be placed the fruiting wood. This latter may be 

 in the form of spurs only, or else a combination of spurs and rods. 



The use of spurs only will be adapted to table and other varieties which 

 bear satisfactorily from the spur. The present day practice in growing 

 Zante currants is to use the spur rather than the rod, the number of spurs 

 being increased to balance the vigour. When this method is used the 

 spacing of the secondary arms will be much closer than for the spur and 

 rod ; roughly speaking, 6 inches apart will suttice, but the actual arrange- 

 ment rests largely with the man who is pruning the vines. 



When the combination of spur and rod becomes necessary by reason of the 

 character of the variety the spacing of the secondary arms will be wider, 

 and here again the ultimate arrangement depends a good deal upon the skill 

 of the pruner. Fig. 14 illustrates this system of training. 



