20 



The Bulletin 



ber of water sprouts. The pruning will consist of cutting back the 

 water sprouts to spurs two nodes in length. If more sprouts are pres- 

 ent, they should be cut off close to main stem. 



The growth of the grape the third season (See Fig. 16) will consist 

 of water sprouts on main stem, fruiting canes on spurs and fruit on 

 shoots produced on last season's canes. The vine is pruned by cutting 

 out all unnecessary water sprouts, leaving two to each wire ; these water 

 sprouts should be cut back to spurs two nodes in length. The old 

 fruiting canes are cut out entirely. ISTew fruiting canes produced on 

 spurs of last season should be left to bear fruit the following season. 

 The fruiting canes have shorter nodes and more mature buds than the 

 water sprouts which produce a long succulent growth. This method 

 is repeated the successive and following years. 



a - l-t/a/er ■3i>roi/7s' 

 ^ = 0/c/^iTinj Cones 



Fig. 16. — Third season's growtli after planting consists of fruit bearing sprouts produced 

 on fruiting canes, water sprouts on main stem, and fruiting canes for next season on water 

 sprout spurs. After gathering fruit, prune in fall or winter, cut out the old fruiting canes 

 and cut back the water sprouts to spurs two nodes long and new canes to desired length as 

 indicated by dotted lines. 



Pruning Muscadine Gkapes. 



The Scuppernong and other varieties of Muscadine grapes make a 

 very vigorous and luxuriant growth. For this reason they are better 

 adapted to training on an arbor or overhead trellis. They may be 

 trained, however, to the Kniffin System the same as the bunch grape, 

 except that six arms on three wires are allowed to form instead of four 

 as with the bunch grapes. These arms should also be much longer 

 so as not to reduce the fruiting capacity of the vine. 



In training Muscadine grapes only one branch should be allowed to 

 grow for the main stem. (See Fig. 17). 



The arbor or overhead trellis can be made of any durable timber. 

 Four posts are placed around the vine and properly braced to make a 

 substantial support for the vine. Rails, woven wire fencing or galvan- 

 ized pipes can be used on which the vine may be trained. Single 

 strands of wire on such an arbor should not be used because it is diffi- 

 cult to keep th(!m uniformly tight. The vines should be pruned as 

 soon as the leaves drop in the fall. Annual ])tuiiiiig .should be prac- 

 ticed. Riidden severe ]iiiniing is liable to injure the vines. 



