428 AMERICAN GRAPE TRAINING 



or the willow, and this fact interferes with its 

 popularity. Green rye straw, cut directly from 

 the field, is much used for tying the shoots in 

 summer. Small wire, about two -thirds the size 

 of broom -wire, is used occasionally for tying up 

 the canes in spring, but it must be used with care 

 or it will injure the vine. Corn -husks are also 

 employed for this purpose when they can be se- 

 cured. Bass -bark is sometimes used for tying, 

 but in most of the grape regions it is difficult to 

 secure, and it has no advantage over raffia. 



It is very important that the old -canes be tied 

 up early in spring, for the buds are easily broken 

 after they begin to swell. These canes are tied 

 rather firmly to the wires to hold them steady ; 

 but the growing shoots, which are tied during the 

 summer, are fastened more loosely, to allow of the 

 necessary increase in diameter. 



Further advice on tying is given by Spencer: 



"Tying is done by women, boys and girls and cheap 

 men. The tying materials are wire, wool-twine, raffia, 

 willow and carpet-rags. By turning to Fig. 278, it will be 

 seen how the canes are arrayed on the two trellises after the 

 Chautauqua method. The horizontal arms, at the lower 

 wire, are more or less permanent, and they are loosely 

 confined to the wire, always by string or willow. The 

 vertical canes, which are fastened to the top trellis, are now 

 universally tied with annealed wire of No. 18 gauge, and cut 

 in lengths of four inches. The economy in using the wire 

 is the despatch in tying, and the fact that the work can be 

 done on cool days when light gloves are necessary. The 



