THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 525 



FIRST WINTER PRUNING. 



The winlcr |)riiiiiii|>; of tlic vine is of .s|)(M'ial intciTst to the viiu'- 

 yardist al this time. The author states that the time for pruninsjf 

 yoiin>i- vines at the end of the first ji:rovving season is after the leaves 

 have faUen. in Deeemher or early in January. An average vine will 

 have produeed, at file end of the first growing season, from three to 

 five canes, the longest being from two to three feet. All of these 

 should be entirely removed, except one. This one should be well 

 matured, at least at the base, and should have well formed eyes. This 

 eane is then sliortened to two eyes. It is also well — so the author 

 states — to cut oflf all shallow roots within three or four inches of the 

 surface. This is necessary in the case of grafted vines, if any have 

 eseai>ed the summer root cutting. In the case of vines which have 

 made an exceptional growth, the cane is often large enough to start 

 the trunk, in the same way that the avei-age vine is pruned the 

 second winter. If the vines have not been staked t)efore. they should 

 be staked soon after pruning and liefore the buds have started. The 

 stakes should be driven at the same side of the vine, at a uniform 

 distance, which should be about two inches. If driven closer the 

 stakes may injure large i-oots, or even the main under:iround stem, 

 l)arlicidarly if the vines liave not been carefully planted vertically, 

 or if they slant toward the side on which the stake is to be placed. 

 The stake should be placed so tluit the |)revailing winds during the 

 growing s(>as()n will press the vine toward the stake, instead of away 

 from it. This will help in keeping the vines upright. 



The vines will re(piire very cart'ful attention from the pruner 

 during the spring and summer the second season. The main object 

 dui'ing this second growing season is to develop a single strong, vigorous 

 and well ripened cane, from which the permanent trunk of the vine is to 

 be formed. This is done by concentrating all of tiie energies of the 

 vine into the growth of a single shoot. 



SECOND WINTER PRUNING. 



The second winter pruning of the vine consists merely in cutting 

 back the single cane which has been allowed to grow during the 

 second season, to the height at which it is desired to head the vine. 

 The vine nuiy be pruned at this time for a high, low, or medium 

 head. Usually the vine is so pruned that it will develop with a trunk 

 of from twelve to fifteen inches, though this length can be modified 

 somewhat. 



The cane will consist of about seven or eight joints or internodes 

 in a low medium head, with an equal number of well formed eyes 

 and an indefinite number of dormant buds, these being principally 

 near the base of the cane, or the junction of the one-year and the 

 two-year-old wood. Only the buds on the upper half of this cane 

 should be allowed to grow. These buds — about four in number — 

 should give six to eight bunches of grapes, and four, six or eight 

 shoots, from which to form the spurs during the following winter 

 pruning. In order to form a high head the cane will be about twenty- 

 four inches long, and can be used to form a trunk, eighteen inches 

 high. As with the shorter cane, buds should be allowed to grow only 

 on the upper half. These buds — about six in number — will give rise 



