138 Lessons in Fruit Growing. 



thougli some growers stop the trunk at the lower wire the 

 third season, carrying it !;o the top wire the following 

 year. 



196. When to prune. The annual pruning maybe per- 

 formed at any time after the leaves mature, until frost 

 leaves the ground in spring. In severe climates, where 

 winter protection is necessary, the pruning is best per- 

 formed before the grapes are laid down for winter. The 

 work is commonly done with small pruning shears. 



I9t. Summer pruning:. Whatever method of pruning 

 is adopted, more or less attention is required during sum- 

 mer to prevent the growth of superfluous shoots. Weak 

 shoots often start out at the base of the main shoots, or of 

 the trunk; these should be promptly rubbed off, unless 

 needed for a special purpose. The flower clusters usually 

 need more or less thinning. Three or more are often 

 formed on a single shoot, while one or two good bunches 

 are all that one shoot should be expected to develop, ex- 

 cept in the most vigorous varieties. 



198. Trellises for the grape. The most common trellises 

 in use consist of one or more wires attached horizontally 

 to posts set midway between each alternate two vines. 

 Except in very hard and stony land, all the posts are com- 

 monly driven but the end ones, which are usually set. For 

 the upright methods, the posts should reach 5 or 5^ feet 

 above the soil; for the KniflFen system they should reach a 

 foot higher. The posts should stand a little higher at first 

 than is necessary for the support of the wires, for they will 

 need to be driven down occasionally as they become loose. 

 The end posts of each trellis should be well braced. Plain 

 No. 12 wire is commonly used, except for the top wire in 

 the Kniffen training, which is usually No. 10. The wires 



