WINE-MAKING IN CALIFORNIA. 179 



again the discrimination of the vintner is needed, and proper 

 thinning, if necessary, must be resorted to. 



The fourth winter, the old canes which have borne fruit 

 last summer, are cut out, and replaced by the young canes 

 from the base which were left unpinched, always leaving a 

 spur, however, of say two buds, from the lowest branch of 

 the old cane. (Fig 21) shows the vine pruned and tied. As 

 the vine has become stronger, the canes can be left longer, 

 say too feet, provided the vine can bear it, and summer prun- 

 ing followed as before, with the alteration that we leave the 

 canes for next season's bearing on the spurs at the base of the 

 canes. This system is followed up, and is simply a renewal 

 training, the cane from the spur taking the place of the cane 

 or arm which has borne last season's fruit. 



A modification of this treatment is sometimes followed 

 with very good results, and makes the vine self supporting. 

 Four canes are grown instead of three, and bent together at 

 the top, so as to make a globe or balloon. A wire is firmly 

 tied around them, and if the canes are equal in strength and 

 equally loaded, the fruit hangs mostly in the middle of the 

 globe. This method, (Fig. 22) has some advantages and some 



disadvantages. The circular form 

 in which the canes are bent, dis- 

 tributes the sap more evenly, while 

 with the other method, it runs more 

 into the upper buds on canes and 

 spurs. Its disadvantages are, that 

 it takes more room in the vineyard, 

 does not allow as close working, 

 and unless the canes are of very 

 even size, they will not balance 

 well, when heavy with fruit, but- 

 pull to one side. We want economy 

 * n our wor k' especially in cultiva- 

 tion, and this interferes with it somewhat. 



