THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



middle wire and the canes spread either 

 side from this point. A T-shaped head 

 is considered the ideal form. Another 

 over-head system is known as the "Cross 

 Wire Kniffen." In this a small post six 

 or seven feet high is set for each vine. 



The tops of the posts are connected 

 by cross wires. The vines are trained 

 up the posts, and on reaching the top 

 four arms are trained outwards, one on 

 each wire. In the autumn the arms are 

 cut back to six or eight buds each. In 

 the case of the over-head systems, mov- 

 able platforms may be used in harvesting 

 the fruit. 



Post Training.— This has been used 

 at Ottawa in order to compare it with 

 trellised vines. It has not given satis- 

 factory results. When the foliage is 

 crowded on a small post the fruit colors 

 slowly and unevenly, and mildew and 

 rot are encouraged. 



Summer Pruning. — It is always de- 

 sirable to remove the shoots that spring 

 from or near the base of the vine, ex- 

 cept when they are required for a special 

 end. These shoots are quickly broken 

 out, or nipped off when still soft and 

 succulent. A certain amount of shorten- 

 ing back is also desirable. This should 

 not be done too early in the season. In 

 summer pruning of Lindley, for instance, 

 I have found it best to shorten back 

 after the first strong growth has taken 

 place. If pinched early in the growing 

 season a great mass of laterals is pro- 

 duced and the amount of work very 

 much augmented. 



T^e Trellis. — It is well to set the 

 posts the year following the planting of 

 the vineyard. If trained on the upright 

 system, the posts should stand five feet 

 to six feet above ground, and be not 

 less than six feet high if the over-head 

 system is adopted. Cedar or oak are 

 preferred on account of durability. The 



I 



end posts of each row should be 

 thoroughly arid efficiently braced, either 

 with a brace on the inside, or on the 

 outside, with a strong wire running 

 from the top of the post to a stone 

 firmly imbedded in the ground. No. 

 12, plain annealed wire is ordinarily 

 used and is fastened to the posts by 

 wire staples. The posts are usually set 

 far enough apart — in the upright sys- 

 tems — to allow of two vines being 

 planted between each two posts. The 

 wires should be run through the end 

 post and be attached and wound around 

 a piece of wood, »vhich will act as a 

 spool, to enable the growers to tighten 

 them in the spring and to loosen them 

 in the autumn, thus allowing for con- 

 traction. Raffia— the product of a 

 palm-like plant — wool twine and osier 

 willows are used in tying the canes to 

 the trellis. The first named, is a cheap 

 and very satisfactory material for the 

 purpose. 



CARE OF THE FRUIT. 



Thinning. — Reference has already 

 been made to the desirability of pruning 

 with a view to restricting the quantity of 

 fruit and of providing for its even and 

 irregular distribution upon the vine. 

 The size of the bunches may be materi- 

 ally enlarged by a judicious removal of 

 the smaller clusters. The size of the 

 berries may also be increased by thin- 

 ning the berries on each bunch where 

 they are closely set. The average 

 grower cannot afford the time required 

 to do the latter, except, perhaps, in the 

 case of exhibition samples — nor do all 

 varieties call for this treatment. In this 

 age of keen competition it will, I believe, 

 pay growers to remove a portion of the 

 smaller bunches when "tying" and 

 " suckering." The effect will be seen in 

 the improved size and appearance of 

 the remaining product. " Ringing " 



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