12 



shoots destined for the wood for the following year. This makes it 

 possible, where topping is practiced, to cut off the ends of the 

 shoots from the fruiting canes and to leave the rest their full length. 

 Another or even two other wires may be used above the first for 

 more canes, but this is seldom profitable, and considerably increases 

 the cost both of installation and or pruning. 



This style of pruning is especially favorable to varieties of small 

 growth which bear small bunches and principally on the upper eyes, 

 and to varieties of larger growth in hilly or poor soils. One of its 

 main objections is that it renders some varieties more liable to sun- 

 burn. 



It will be noticed that the long-pruned vines are represented in the 

 figures as having much fewer arms than the short-pruned. This is 

 necessary and important. In order to maintain a well-balanced vine 

 and keep it under control, there should be only about as many arms 

 as long canes, or at most one, or two more. 



Types IV, V and VI. The .three styles of pruning so far de- 

 scribed have been fairly thoroughly tested in .California, and each has 

 been found applicable to certain varieties and conditions. There are 

 some varieties, however, which do not give good results with any of 

 these systems. This is the case with many valuable table grapes, es- 

 pecially when grown in rich valley soil, where they should do best. 

 For these cases some modification of the French cordon system is to 

 be recommended. Little trial of this method has been made as yet, 

 but what has been done is very promising. The tendency of many 

 grapes to coulure is overcome, and rich soils are made to produce crops 

 in proportion to their richness. The method consists essentially in 

 allowing the vine to grow in a more or less horizontal direction for 

 several feet, thus giving a larger body and fruiting surface. 



The treatment of the young vines the first year is the same as for 



head pruning, as already described. As soon as the young vine pro- 

 duces a good, strong shoot it is tied up to the wire and to the stake 

 which is placed between the vines in the rows. Each vine should 

 finally reach, its neighbor, but it requires two or three years for this 

 if the vines are six or seven feet apart in the rows. It is possible by 

 cutting the vine back nearly to the ground for the first year or two 

 to obtain a cane which will stretch the whole distance between the 

 vines at the first tying up; but this is not necessary nor advisable. 

 Neither is it advisable to make a very sharp angle (almost a right 

 angle) as is usually done in regular cordon pruning, on account of 



