526 THE MONTIH;Y BULIjETIN. 



to th(^ shoots Jiecessary for the formation of spurs. In all cases a full 

 internocle should be left above the top bud. This is done by cutting 

 through the tirst bud above the highest one which the pruner desires 

 to have grow. This cut is made in such a manner that the bud is 

 destroyed, Avhile the diaphi-agm is left intact with part of the swelling of 

 the node. This upper iuteruude is left to facilitate tying, and also to 

 protect the upper bud. By making a half hitch around this internode 

 the vine is firmly held. In tying the vines, the author states, no turns 

 or hitches must be made around any part, except this upper internode. 

 Vines will be crooked-necked where hitches were uuide below the top 

 buds, as the tops will bend over in the summer under the weight of the 

 foliage. Hitches made lower down will tend to girdle and stran2;le 

 the vine. A second tying about half way from the upper to the ground 

 will be necessary in order to straighten the cane. For high headed 

 vines three ties are usually necessary. For the top tie, wire is very 

 good. It seems to hold better than twine, and does not wear. The 

 lower ties should be made of softer material, as the wire has a ten- 

 dency to cut into the wood. These should be i)laeed so that the cane:-; 

 will be able to expand as they grow. If the vines have not made sufK- 

 cient growth of cane during the second growing season to be tied up 

 in the way indicated, they should be again pruned back to two buds, 

 as during the previous winter pruning, and special care should be 

 taken to try to develop a good cane. These vines, during the summer 

 season, will usually make vigorous growth, and must be topped. The 

 result at the following winter pruning will be a vigorous cane with 

 laterals. If this disbudtling and thinning of the shoots have been 

 neglected, there will be several canes on the vine, in which case only 

 the best should be left and treated as if only one cane had been pro- 

 duced. During the third summer, the buds and shoots below the 

 middle of the cane should be removed. This will leave four or five 

 fruit buds, and will give the vine an opportunity to produce eight to 

 ten bunches of grapes. 



THIRD WINTER PRUNING. 



At the end of the third season's growth, the vine should be fitraight, 

 and have a well developed trunk, with a number of vigorous canes near 

 the top, from which the arms are formed. The pruner should leave 

 only enough spurs to supi)ly all the fruit buds that the vine can sup- 

 port. The number of buds that are left will depend to some extent on 

 the variety. Varieties which produce two bunches to the shoot, the 

 bunches averaging a pound, will, if twelve fruit buds are produced, 

 give about seven tons per acre, if the vines are planted six by twelve 

 feet. The number of these spurs will depend on their length. Six 

 spurs having two buds each will give the required number, but since 

 some canes are more vigorous than others they shoidd be left a little 

 longer, in which case a smaller number of spurs will suffice. After 

 the number and length of the spurs are decided upon, those canes 

 should be chosen which will leave the spurs in the most suitable posi- 

 tion for forming arms. This position will depend upon whether a vase- 

 formed or a fan-shaped vine is wanted. In case of the vase-formed 

 vine, the canes are chosen which will develop the spurs most evenly 

 and symmetrically on all sides, those being avoided which cross each 



