CHAPTER VIII 



AMERICAN GRAPE TRAINING, CON- 

 CLUDEDTHE VARIOUS MODES 



The grape is trained for the purpose of keeping 

 the vine in convenient shape and to allow each 

 cluster to receive its full share of space and 

 light. A well trained vine is easily cultivated and 

 sprayed, and the grapes are readily harvested, and 

 it is only upon such vines that the best and fairest 

 fruit is uniformly produced. Some kind of train- 

 ing is essential, for a vine will not often bear good 

 fruit when it lies upon the ground. Grape train- 

 ing is described by one vineyardist as a process 

 of hanging the vine up for air and sunshine, and 

 he thinks that different ways of accomplishing that 

 object may be equally good. He likens it to the 

 hanging -out of a washing. He says that his 

 mother and his wife each has her particular way 

 of putting a washing on the line, and each is 

 punctilious that her favorite method shall be ob- 

 served. He says that he speaks from experience, 

 for he has been bossed by both. 



In essence, there are three general types or 

 styles of training, which may be denominated 

 the upright, drooping, and horizontal, these terms 



(431) 



