i660 Agricultural Gazette of N.S.W. [Sept. 2, 1920. 



growth. The tendency is for spurs which are placed closer than this to 

 absorb too much sap antl to become over-strong in relation to the growth 

 further alona; the arm. 



The foundation of the vine is now well established, and it is simply a 

 matter of extending the arms from year to year so far as the vigour of the 

 vine will permit. At the next season's pruning the first thing to be done is 

 the renewal of the fruiting wood on the base portion of the arm. If the vine 

 is spur-pruned it is merely a matter of renewing the spurs by x'educing the 

 most suitable canes to two-bud spurs. Should the variety be a rod-pruned 

 one the two growths developing from the old spurs will be converted — the 

 lower one into a new spur and the upper into a rod. The latter will, in 

 general, be tied down to the wire by the terminal internode which has been 

 cut through the base of the bud. 



The canes on the previous year's extension will be spurred similarly to 

 the preceding portion, thereby establishing a further number of secondary 

 arms. The terminal canes will be used to extend the arms to a greater 

 length. 



This process continues until the full extent of the arms has been reached, 

 and finally each arm is tez"minated by a spur. 



Annual Pruning. — According as the vine is spur or rod pruned, the 

 annual treatment is on recognised lines. Provided the vigour of the vine is 

 normal there should be no difficulty. The spurs in either case will be 

 selected from such canes as will contribute to the sliape of the vine, and at 

 the same time keep the secondary arms as short as possible. The rods, being 

 for purpose of fruiting only, may be j)laced anywhere, provided that they are 

 fruit-bearing wood. 



The ideal arrangement is to form the new spur from the lowest suitable 

 cane, and the rod from the upper, but this cannot always be attained. The 

 spur must have preference over the rod if it is impossible to secui'e both, and 

 for the time being a rod may be secured, if need be, from a cane on the old 

 rod. All water shoots growing upon the stem or arms should, if possible, be 

 disbudded in the spring, and failing this they must be cleanly cut out at 

 the winter pruning. 



As the vine becomes old the secondary arms will probably need i-enewal 

 by the use of suitable water shoots which may arise from time to time. The 

 vigour of the vine should be maintained, and weakening from over-production 

 should be specially avoided. In the case of rod-pruned vines, where excessive 

 weakness is evident the rods should be dispensed with for one or more seasons, 

 enabling the normal developnrent of wood to be renewed. 



Multiple-armed Spaliers. 

 The necessity for more than one pair of arms may arise in certain circum- 

 stances, and necessarily implies great vigour of growth in the vines. It is 

 confined, for the greater part, to strong vines grown under irrigation, such as 

 the Zante currant, or other strong vines growing under natural rainfall on 

 rich soils. 



