MUNSON SYSTEM 485 



the chief advantages of the system are (1) that it greatly 

 reduces the damage from the wind; (2) that it reduces 

 damage by heat reflection from the soil; (3) that it saves 

 summer tying. The first of these advantages has already 

 been explained. Eegarding the second, it should be said 

 that in this country, wherever bunches of fruit hang near 

 the ground they are usually more or less dried out by the 

 excessive reflection of heat from the soil during hot sum- 

 mer days. The loss amounts to a great deal. A conser- 

 vative estimate placed this loss at from ten to sixty per 

 cent through this country last season, and in some ex- 

 ceptional cases the crop was quite destroyed. With the 

 fruit hanging five or six feet from the ground, and over- 

 shadowed by a canopy of foliage at least two feet wide, 

 this evil is evidently much mitigated. The young shoots 

 do not need to be tied at all, but are left to swing freely 

 from the support which is given at their bases. In most 

 other systems summer tying is a considerable and expen- 

 sive item. Some summer pruning usually has to be done, 

 but this is much facilitated and probably reduced in abso- 

 lute quantity by the Munson training. 



"Certain weak-growing varieties, like the well-known 

 Delaware, do not find this trellis adapted to their needs. 

 Many other circumstances may decide against its use ; but 

 it is being widely adopted through this country, and there 

 are many favorable reports from it in other states." 



MODIFIED MUNSON. "This system, which might 

 better be termed the 'Alternate -Renewal' Mun- 

 son, presents two advantages which the True 

 Munson does not possess, and to my mind is 

 preferable. It permits the bearing wood to be 

 alternated from one side of the vine to the other, 

 and is cheaper by one wire. 



