124 THE RAISIN INDUSTRY. 



the Grecian Islands, where currants are raised, this ringing has been 

 practiced for years, with more or less beneficial effect. The sap in the 

 cane that is ringed is prevented from again returning to the root, and 

 goes to produce a larger quantity of grapes above the ring. But 

 thereby the cane is seriously injured, and often to such an extent that 

 it must be entirely removed the following season. Care must there- 

 fore be taken to leave enough unringed branches to serve as fruit-bear- 

 ing wood the following year. If done with care and good judgment, 

 the ringing does no great injury to the vine. For a fuller account of 

 the process, see article on Currants. 



The Vineyard Labors of the Year. The following synopsis of the 

 various labors in a raisin vineyard can only be of interest to the 

 beginner, or to any one who contemplates engaging in the raisin busi- 

 ness. The data given are only approximate, as they must differ in 

 different localities, or according to the changing of the seasons : 



December. After the first frost, or when the vines are dormant, 

 planting new vines and cuttings may begin. Pruning the old wood* 

 Burning the prunings. Manuring the soil. 



January. Plowing, cultivating and planting. 



February. Cultivating and plowing. 



March. Grafting the grapes and finishing plowing. 



April. Hoeing the vines and cultivating. Sulphuring and suck- 

 ering. 



May. Sulphuring and summer pruning. 



June. Hoeing. Covering or tying over the vines. 



July. Irrigating where needed. Fixing trays and sweatboxes. 



August. Distributing trays and sweatboxes in the vineyard. Pick- 

 ing the first crop. Packing should begin as soon as possible. 



September. Picking, drying, turning the trays, reversing, taking up. 



October. Picking the last of the second crop. Packing continues. 



November. Hauling in, stacking and cleaning off trays and sweat- 

 boxes. Irrigating and manuring the land. New land should be pre- 

 pared for planting, which should begin as soon as the first frost has 

 killed the leaves of the vine. 



PRUNING. 



Winter Pruning^ or Pruning Hard Wood. The pruning of vines 

 comprises two different processes. The first one has for its object the 

 shaping of the vines, the second one similarly the shortening of the 

 branches properly so as to enable them to bear better fruit. These 

 two points must always be kept in view, much more so of course 

 during the first few years, before the vines have reached their bearing 

 age. But even in after years the pruning anust be so conducted, that 

 the shape of the vine is not changed so as to interfere with the 

 work in the field, or with the perfect development of the grapes. As 

 regards the shape of the vine, it has been decided that in our raisin 

 districts the Muscat requires to be pruned low, in order to properly 

 protect the grapes from sun and wind. The head should be as low 

 as possible, or even rest on the ground, and in no instance be more 

 than a few inches above the same. Many of the bunches will then 



