98 AMERICAN GRAPE GROWING 



CHAPTER XXL 



TRAINING THE VINE ON ARBORS AND V7ALLS. 



This has a different purpose from culture in yineyards, 

 and, therefore, the yines require different treatment. 

 Vineyard culture has for its object the most perfect 

 fruit, and bringing the vine, with all its parts, within 

 easy reach of the cultivator. Arbor culture has for its 

 object the covering of a large space with foliage, for or- 

 nament and shade ; fruit being but a secondary considera- 

 tion, though a large quantity of fruit of fair quality can 

 also be produced, if the vines are judiciously treated. 



The first aim should be to grow very strong plants, so 

 as to cover a large space. Prepare the border by digging a 

 trench 2 feet deep and 4 feet wide, and fill with rich soil, 

 rotten leaves, bones, ashes, etc. Set your plants in this, 

 in the manner already shown in vineyard planting. 

 Leave but one shoot to grow on them during the first 

 summer, which ought to become very strong. Cut this 

 cane back to three buds the next fall. Each of these 

 buds will produce a strong shoot the next spring, which 

 should be tied to the arbor and allowed to grow un- 

 checked. In the following fall, cut each of these three 

 canes back to three buds, as our first aim must be to get 

 a good basis for our vines. These will give nine canes 

 the next summer, and as the vine is now strong enough, 

 we can begin to demand a crop from it. We have now 

 three different sections or branches to the vine, each one 

 of which bears three canes. Cut one of these three canes 

 back to two eyes, and prune the other two canes to from 

 six to ten buds each, according to the strength of the 

 vine. Treat each of the three sections in the same man- 

 ner. Next spring tie these neatly to the trellis, divid- 



