i86 



Commercial Gardening 



at once and the vigour of the cane is not sapped in any way by the 

 extra growth. The selected buds are allowed to grow on up the roof, 

 all side shoots that form being stopped at once. When the young rods 

 reach halfway up the rafter they should have the tips pinched out and 

 then be allowed to run on again. As the season advances they may 

 be allowed to make a few side shoots near the top. When dressing 

 the crop that is growing underneath, the Vines should get their share 

 of the manure. As soon as the under crop will allow, at the end of the 



season, full air should be given except in stormy 

 weather, to ripen off the canes. When the 

 leaves are dead, and the sap has stopped flow- 

 ing, cut back the young rods, leaving 3, 4, or 

 5 ft. of rod according to strength and ripeness. 

 The wood left should be as thick as the fore- 

 finger and thoroughly well ripened. The fol- 

 lowing year this piece may be lightly cropped, 

 and the young canes run up as before and 

 pruned when dormant, according to strength 

 as in the first year, the laterals which will have 

 been formed on the previous year's growth 

 being cut back to one good prominent bud, or 

 two to be on the safe side. When the buds 

 break the following spring the stronger can be 

 selected and the other rubbed out. 



Pruning*, &c. Having indicated the method 

 of growing on the young rods we now come to 

 the regular treatment of a fruiting vinery. As 

 soon after the leaves have fallen as possible 

 the Vines can be gone over with secateurs and 

 all the laterals be cut off leaving about three 

 buds and all leaves and rubbish be cleared 

 out. The rods are then cut loose from the 

 wires during the winter and carefully cleaned. 

 On young rods especially a lot of loose bark 

 is formed. This should be removed, and all 

 of it that is fit to move will come away when the hand is rubbed 

 round the rod. On no account must it be peeled or scraped off so that 

 the green skin of the rod is exposed. Special attention should be paid 

 to the eyes, for if any Red Spider has been present during the growing 

 season, it is here that the dormant colonies will be found in little red 

 masses under any loose bark there may be. When the rods have been 

 gone over, the pruning may be finished off, using a sharp knife and 

 cutting the spurs back to two buds as before directed. During this 

 operation all pieces of dead spur left the previous season by disbudding 

 should be removed and carefully cut off level, for it may be further 

 explained that where two buds are left at pruning, and then the bud 



Fig. 381. Spur-pruned Three-year-old 

 Vine Stem 



