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GOOD GRAPES FROM YOUR TAIIGLED VIIJE 



Have you a problem grape vine? With its sprawling tangle of growth, 

 it may look hopeless. Yet you may find the magic wand of productiveness 

 within easy reach. An hour's work with the pruning shears, a few trellis 

 repairs and tvro or three well-timed sprays or dusts will vrork wonders. Lus- 

 cious grapes for the home table are your revrard next September if you pay 

 attention to three or four essentials. 



Suitable Supports are Necessary . If your vine is already sup- 

 ported by a trellis" or arbor', your job is partly done. It is quite impos- 

 sible to keep a grape vine productive if it must attach itself to a tree or 

 building, or if it lies on the ground. Two horizontal wires, about three 

 and five feet above the ground, are quite ideal. An arbor is also satis- 

 factory if the vine is well pruned each year. Whatever the support, a 

 tangled vine can best be pruned by first cutting it loose and laying it 

 on the tjround. 



Annual Pruning a Vital Factor . Fruit buds are found only on last 

 year's growtlu Prunlng~'re'duces "the number of these fruit buds to a practical 

 limit, eliminates much of the older v;ood and stimulates nevr fruiting wood for 

 next year. A vine which has 500 fruit buds v;ill bear larger clusters if at 

 least 80^J are removed in the pruning process. This is best done, not by 

 trimming off the tips, but by selecting a few grov^ths of the previous season 

 (characterized by their lighter brown color) and by cutting the rest of the 

 vine away. Don't be afraid to make an occasional large cut in order to re- 

 move an older portion of the vine. What vie retain is more important than 

 what we cut off. Thin the vine heavily instead of "giving it a haircut." 

 TOien completely pruned it will look discouragingly thin. An amateur might 

 consider it ruined. The real benefit from pruning, however, is seen when 

 we compare the crop of grapes on well pruned and unpruned vines. The import- 

 ance of thorough, annual pruning can scarcely be over- stressed. If pruning 

 is properly done, in March, the current season's crop is profoundly affected, 

 and the vine will develop good fruiting v;ood for the next season. 



A Third Esse ntial , - Pest Control . Fev/ vines are highly successful 

 without some attention" 'to disea'se~and insect control. The most common dis- 

 ease of grapes in Massachusetts is Black Rot which causes the grapes to turn 

 brown in midsummer. Later, they turn black and dry up, resembling raisins. 

 Copper sprays or dusts will control this disease, powdered Bordeaux or 

 copper-lime dust may be obtained from most dealers in spray materials. If 

 rose bugs are numerous, special control measures are needed. 



Fertili zation Not Always Needed. Pruning is generally more essen- 

 tial than fertilizing becaiTse the average^ vine growing in a good soil is al- 

 ready sufficiently vigorous. Pruning further invigorates the remaining parts 

 of the vine. If stimulation is needed, a garden fertilizer, barnyard manure, 

 clean cultivation, or mulching are recommended. A mature grapevine, hovjever 

 badly neglected, offers promise of a crop next September, while a new vine 

 set this spring, will require three to five years to come into bearing. 



