GRAPE. 207 



In the case of strong growing varieties of grapes like the 

 Concord and Worden, it is customary to leave more than two 

 canes in pruning; often four and occasionally six are left. When 

 four are left, two are often tied together along the bottom wire. 

 If six are used, the two extra canes are tied along the second 

 wire in the same manner. 



The amount of wood that should be left on a vine after prun- 

 ing will depend upon the vigor of the variety grown. In the 

 case of the weak growing sorts, like the Delaware, from twenty 

 to thirty buds should be left on the vine after pruning. This 

 means that all the buds left on the new wood shall not be more 

 than this number on the whole vine and these shall be on two 

 or more canes. In the case of strong growing kinds like the 

 Concord, as many as ten or twelve buds may be carried on each 

 cane and four canes may be left. In other words, such vines 

 may safely carry from forty to fifty buds each year. In any 

 case, a weak vine should have fewer buds left than a strong vine. 



As the vine acquires age, the spurs at the top of the trunk 

 get weak. It is customary then to encourage a shoot from near 

 the ground and treat it much the same as if it were a new young 

 vine and from it form a new top. The second year after it is 

 well started, i. e., when it is in good bearing condition, the old 

 cane may be cut away and the young vine allowed to take its 

 place. A top will retain its vigor six or eight years under ordi- 

 nary treatment but seldom much longer, although the roots will 

 still be vigorous and will form several successive tops. 



The high renewal method requires much more tying than any 

 of the forms of the drooping system of training. In doing this, 

 the vine should be firmly tied to the trellis and the new growth, 

 as it reaches it, should be tied to the second wire and later to 

 the third wire. It will be necessary to go over the vineyard sev- 

 eral times each season to accomplish this. All shoots do not 

 start with the same vigor, but after they have reached the up- 

 per wire and are well tied they are allowed to hang down and 

 need no further pruning or tying. 



In the case of the drooping method of training the only tying 

 that is ordinarily practiced is that of tying the main cane very 

 strongly to the wire. In this method, the vines are trained un- 



