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MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 57 
; Pres. Smith. I prune according to no rule, but cut according 
to circumstances. My object is to get strong, healthy wood near 
the ground. The weaker the vine the closer I cut. Young vines 
I cut to one or two buds. It requires but little wood to produce 
ten pounds of fruit. I cut in the fall, and not much in the grow- 
- ing season. I do not aim to get new wood each year. There is 
only one system of pruning, as laid down in the books, that can 
be followed where we lay down the vines. 
Delaware. 
Mr. Kenney. Has the Delaware ripened every year ? 
Pres. Smith. Every year except one, when wet and cold weath- 
er came on when they were beginning to ripen. 
ir. Brand. . Do you prefer the Delaware ? 
Pres. Smith. Ican get more money from it because it brings a 
better price and gives a more uniform yield. 
Mr. Kenney. How old must the vines be to bear ten pounds ? 
Pres. Smith. Five or six, or if weak, eight years old, accord- 
ing to their strength. 
Training. 
Mr. Kenney. Is there no danger of breaking the vines when 
taking from the stakes ? 
Pres. Smith. Ido not tie to stakes and tie to trellises obliquely. 
They will not break if trained right, but you cannot do it accord- - 
ing to the book systems without breaking. I always leave more 
buds in the fall than are required to grow and when they have 
started I rub part of them out. We cannot grow grapes without 
labor and expense. 
Mr. Brand. How many vines are there in the largest vineyards 
you know of? p 
Pres. Smith. Not over 2,000 or 3,000. I have 1,500 and Mr. 
Miller about the same. I have the Delaware planted twelve years 
ago. It needs a richer soil than the Concord, and if you leave too 
much wood and let it get too thick they will mildew. 
Mr. Brand, The largest vineyard I have been in contains 1,500 
vines and 800 of them are Delaware. This is over on the Minne- 
sota River. The owner considered the Delaware the most profit- 
able. 
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