PRUXING THE GRAPE IN EASTERN AMERICA 121 



Wire for the trellis. 



F'our sizes of wire are in common use for vineyard trellises ; 

 nos. 9, 10, 11 and 12. Number 9, the heaviest, is often used 

 for the top wire with lighter wires lower. The following figures 

 show the length of wire in a ton : 



No. 9, 34,483 ft. No. 11, 52,352 ft. 



No. 10, 41,408 ft. No. 12, 68,493 ft. 



From tliese figures the number of pounds required to the acre 

 is easily calculated. Common annealed wire makes a durable 

 trellis, but many growers prefer the more durable galvanized 

 wire, the cost of which is slightly greater. The wires are 

 fastened to the end posts by winding once around the post, 

 and then each wire is firmly looped about itself; they are se- 

 cured to the intervening posts by ordinary fence staples so 

 driven that the wire cannot pull through of its own weight but 

 with space enough to permit tightening from season to season. 

 The size and length of the staples depend on w^hether the posts 

 are hard or soft wood. The longest and largest staples are 

 used with soft woods, as cedar or chestnut. An acre requires 

 from nine to twelve pounds of staples. The wires should be 

 placed on the windward sides of posts and on the up-hill side in 

 hillside vineyards. The distance between wires depends on 

 the method of pruning. 



The wires must be stretched taut on the posts, for which 

 purpose any one of a half-dozen good wire stretchers may be 

 purchased at hardware stores. Some growers loosen the wires 

 after harvest to allow for the contraction in cold weather and 

 others use some one of several devices to relieve the strain. 

 Most growers, however, find it necessary to go over the \i\w- 

 yard each spring to drive down loosened posts and stretch 

 sagging wires, and so take no precautions to release wires in 

 the fall. All agree that the wires must be kept tight during 



