The Drooping System. 61 



selection keeps the old spurs short. The careful 

 grower will take pains to remove the weak shoots 

 which start from this point, in order that a strong 

 cane may be obtained. It is desirable that these 

 side spurs be removed entirely every three or four 

 years, a new cane being brought out again from the 

 main body or trunk. There is little expectation, 

 however, that there shall be such a complete re- 

 newal pruning as that practiced in the High Re- 

 newal, which we discussed in the last chapter. 



It will be seen that the drooping canes in fig. 22 

 are shorter than they were originally, as shown 

 in fig. 21. They have been cut back. The length 

 at which these canes shall be left is a moot point. 

 Much depends upon the variety, the distance be- 

 tween the wires, the strength of the soil, and other 

 factors. Nearly all growers now agree that the 

 upper canes should be longer than the lower ones, 

 although equal canes are still used in some places. 

 In strong varieties, like Worden, each of the upper 

 canes may bear ten buds and each of the lower 

 ones five. This gives thirty buds to the vine. 

 Some growers prefer to leave twelve buds above and 

 only four below. 



These four pruned canes are generally allowed to 

 hang during winter, but are tied onto the wires before 

 the buds swell in spring. They are stretched out 

 horizontally and secured to the wire by one or two 

 ties upon each cane. The shoots which spring 

 from these horizontal canes stand upright or 



