520 



VINIFERA GRAPE TRAINING 



the vigor of the vine, while long -pruning would 

 unduly increase the number of bunches on a sin- 

 gle cane, and so reduce their size, which would 

 deteriorate from their value as table grapes. 



The Fig. 327 represents a style of pruning used 

 with success in some of the richest low -lying soils 

 of France. The body of the vine raised up to a 

 height of two and a -half or three feet above the 

 soil, a useful means of lessening the danger from 

 spring frosts. The fruit -canes are bent vertically 



327. Drooping training of long-pruned cordons. 



downward, thus restricting the flow of sap suffi- 

 ciently to force out the lower buds of the fruit- 

 canes into strong shoots, which can be used for 

 fruit canes of the following year. This does away, 

 to some extent, with the necessity of leaving 

 wood -spurs, and much simplifies the pruning. 

 Arms, of course, are formed in time, and very 

 gradually elongate, so that it is necessary to 

 remove one occasionally and replace it by a 



