436 AMERICAN GRAPE TRAINING, CONCLUDED 



sapling about four inches at the butt and two and one -half 

 inches at the top, and ten to twelve feet long. The small 

 end is to be held in the right hand, and the butt end to be 

 pushed along the ground. A horse is hitched to this pole 

 by a rope drawn through an inch hole about four feet from 

 the butt or ground end. When starting at the end of the 

 row, it seems that the straight pole would not gather any 

 brush at all. It is a question of catching the first wad, and 

 all the rest of the brush will cling to it. At the end of the 

 row, the brush is hauled to a convenient pile, where it is to 

 be burned, and is dumped by letting the end of the pole 

 held in the hand revolve over towards the horse. If the 

 pole hits the horse, the operator will see that there is not 

 enough stretch of rope between the pole and whiffletree, 

 and more must be provided." 



The cost of pruning an acre of grapes is re- 

 ported as follows:* 



Blocking out . ."".$1.00 



Cutting curls . . .... . . . 1.50 



Stripping, removing brush, tapping 

 posts, stretching wire . . . . 1.50 



Labor of tying 1.50 



Cost of ties . . . .25 



$575 



THE UPRIGHT SYSTEMS 



The upright systems are the oldest and best 

 known of the styles of American grape training. 

 They consist, essentially, in carrying out two hori- 

 zontal canes, or sometimes arms, upon a low wire, 



"John W. Spencer, Proc. W. New York Hort. Soc., 1896, p. 44. 



