wire, along which it is gently coiled. These two ties hold the vine firmly in place. The buds 

 on the arms, push and ascend, passing over the lateral wires, clinging thereto with their tendrils, 

 and hang over like a beautiful green drapery shading the fruit and body of the vine according to 

 its natural habit. 



Summer Pruning 



On the canopy trellis, all the summer pruning required is, to go thru the vineyard at or 

 a few days before blooming time, and with a light, sharp butcher knife, clip off the tips of all 

 advanced shoots to be left for bearing, leaving two or three leaves beyond the outer flower cluster. 

 From the shoots near the crotch, selected for bearing arms the next year, pick the flower clusters, 

 and strip off or rub off all shoots and buds that start on trunk of vine below crotch. This latter 

 is very important, as such shoots, if left, eat up the nourishment of the land with no return but 

 added work at pruning time. 



It will be found that the shoots at the ends of the arms usually start first and strongest, and 

 if not clipped back, will not allow the buds back toward the crotch to start well, but if clipped, 

 all other desirable buds then push. 



In about six to ten days after first clipping, a second one is usually necessary, especially if 

 the weather is moist and warm, and the land rich. The first clipped shoots, as well as those not 

 clipped the first time, will need clipping back this time, the end buds on the first clipped having 

 pushed vigorously. 



At second year's pruning and others following, the old arms with all the bearing shoots on 

 them are cut off down to the new arms and the new arms cut back to lengths they can fill with 

 fruit and well mature. In this, critical judgment and knowledge of capabilities of different varieties 

 are more required in the pruner than in any other of the training work. Some varieties, 

 such as the Delaware, cannot carry more than three to four arms, two feet long, while Herbemont 

 can more easily carry four arms each eight feet long, hence such as Delaware should be planted 

 eight feet or less apart, while Herbemont and most of the Post-Oak grape hybrids, should be 

 twelve to sixteen feet apart. In other words, each variety should be set that distance apart that 

 it will fill the trellis with fruit from end to end, and mature it well, so as to better economize space. 



By the third year, the vine should come to full bearing, and be pruned with four bearing 

 arms, two to go each way along the lower wire of trellis, gently coiling around the wire, one arm 

 in one direction, the other in opposite direction, and should be of about equal lengths, so that 

 one firm tie with jute yarn, near the ends, will be all the tying the vines will need that is, two 

 ties to each vine the least required by any trellis system, and the pruning is also simplest and 

 the results every way the best. In variety descriptions in Chapter III. recommendations are 

 made as to short, medium or long arms. Short arms are 2 to 3 ft.; medium, 3 to 5 ft.; long, 

 5 to 8 ft. or more. 



Some of the advantages of this trellis are its cheapness, its simplicity, bringing the work up 

 breast-high so that pruning, tying, harvesting, spraying, can be done in an erect position, saving 

 back strain; perfect distribution of light, heat, and air to foliage and fruit; shielding from sun- 

 scald and birds; giving free ventilation and easy passage of wind through the vineyard without 

 blowing down the trellis or tender shoots from the vines, and allowing ready passage from row 

 to row, without going around, thus getting larger and better crops at less expense and increasing 

 length of life of vineyard and the pleasure of taking care of it. 



The cause of the lagging of viticulture in this country is not, as some suppose, the want of 

 profit in its pursuit, as, for many years, we have in connection with our nursery business grown 

 berries, plums, pears, peaches, apples, and grapes, in considerable quantities for market, and 

 altho our vineyards were largely devoted to testing new varieties, we found the grape steadily 

 the surest to bear annually, and more readily marketed and more profitable in proportion to 

 outlay. The chief cause, I fully believe, is the lack of practical knowledge of the business. If 

 I am correct in this, then the remedy is education of fruit growers on the subject. 



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