350 



AMERICAN HOME GARDEN. 



SPUR SYSTEM. 



In the spur system one or more shoots are permitted to ex- 

 tend themselves gradually from each plant, being cut back at 

 the first winter pruning after the setting out to three or four 

 buds, at the second to six or eight, or more, increasing the 

 length of these main canes from year to year, according to their 

 strength, permitting only a limited quantity of fruit to be 

 borne upon the spurs or side shoots from them until these main 

 ones have attained the length at which it is intended perma- 

 nently to keep them (see Fig. 217). After this, all the spurs 

 or side shoots are annually cut off at the winter pruning to 

 within a single bud, or close to the old stem or main cane 

 from which they issue. Each joint upon these main stems or 

 canes becomes by the annual repetition of this process a bunch 

 of undeveloped buds, from which young shoots are annually 

 put forth, upon which the season's crop of fruit is borne. 

 These are kept in check during summer by nipping, and re- 

 moved entirely at the winter pruning, as described below. 



The main canes of the vine in the figure are trained upright, 

 but they may also be trained horizontally by carrying the main 

 stem originally to the top of the arbor, and forming the main 

 canes from its side buds, or the mode may be subsequently 

 changed by cutting away all but one or two of the main canes, 

 making them stems, and furnishing the horizontal canes from 

 their spur buds. 



TRELLIS. 



Fig. 218. 



The vine upon the trellis, winter pruned 

 and arranged upon the alternating system ; 

 as it appears before it starts in the spring. 



a, a, a, a, a. Five canes cut back, leaving 

 a single bud on each, close to the main stem, 

 to form the growth-canes of the current sea- 

 son and the fruit canes of the next. 



&, &, b, b. Four canes shortened to the di- 

 mensions of the trellis to bear the current 

 season's crop of fruit, and be cut back in the 

 manner of a at the coming winter priming, 

 and form next year's growth-canes. 



The trellis is the arbor sides without its arch, a simple up- 



