444 AMERICAN GRAPE TRAINING, CONCLUDED 



in Fig. 281. The third wire is usually added to 

 the trellis at the close of the second season, at 

 the same time that the second wire is put on ; but 

 occasionally this is delayed until the close of the 

 third season. Some of the upright shoots may 

 bear a few grapes this third season, but unless 

 the vines are very strong, the flower clusters 

 should be removed ; and a three -year -old vine 

 should never be allowed to bear heavily. It must 

 be remembered, however, that both these hori- 

 zontal canes, with all their mass of herbage, are 

 to be cut away in the fall or winter of the third 

 year. Some provision must have been made, 

 therefore, for the top for the fourth year. It will 

 be recalled that in discussing the renewal pruning 

 (page 411, Fig. 262) , it was found that two or more 

 shoots are allowed to grow each year to form the 

 basis of the top the following year. In Fig. 281 

 three or four such shoots can be seen springing 

 from the Y-shaped portion in the center of the 

 vine. These shoots or canes are to be bent 

 down to the lowest wire next spring, and the 

 bearing shoots will arise from them. This pro- 

 cess will be seen at a glance from Figs. 282, 283 

 and 284. The first shows a full-grown old vine, 

 trained on three wires. Fig. 283 shows the same 

 vine when pruned. Two long canes, with six or 

 eight buds each, are left to form the top of the 

 following year. The two stubs from which the 

 renewal canes are to grow for the second year's 



