GRAPES AND WINES IN CALIFORNIA. 149 



[After several experiments, made on a large scale with vines 

 pruned high and staked, and witli vines pruned close to the 

 ground, we have become convinced that low pruning close to the 

 ground is the better mode in California; it gives better grapes, 

 and ripens them a fortnight sooner. In consequence of these ex- 

 periments, I left off, some years ago, high pruning and staking. 

 My travels in Europe have proved to me the correctness of my 

 experiments. There is but one view, that the closer you can keep 

 the grapes to the ground the better they are. It would not do, 

 however, to let the branches lie on the ground, as the summer 

 rains would rot them ; but in Call brnia and the south of Spain 

 the grapes may and do lie on the ground, and on that account 

 are sweeter.] 



Pruning, Third Year. — ^The grapes having been gathered, the 

 pruning will begin again in December or the beginning of Janu- 

 ary. This time there are three stems on the main stem. Two 

 of these vines must be cut to two buds each, for making wood (for 

 so-called water-branches or vines), to become the next year the 

 bearing vines, and the third one of these vines cut to four buds, 

 which will be quite sufficient to bear grapes; but if the main 

 stem is quite thrifty, you may leave five buds. 



[It has been before observed that where quantity is desired it 

 is detrimental to the quality of the grape ; therefore he who in- 

 tends to make superior wine will do well to prune his vines to 

 two buds instead of four and five. But if only ordinary table 

 wine is desired for home consumption, the recommendation of 

 five-bud pruning may be practiced.] 



Pruning^ Fourth and Suhseqiieni Years. — Many and various are 

 the opinions in pruning bearing vines. Some assert that the old 

 way, to cut the vine back to from six to ten spurs, and on each 

 spur to leave two or three buds, is the best; but on mature re- 

 flection, considering that the stem so cut has to make all the 

 wood, besides to produce and ripen grapes, it is not reasonable to 

 believe this mode to be correct, and, in fact, experiments in differ- 

 ent countries and climates have proved this doctrine false. It is 

 a well-established fact that the best mode of pruning is to cut the 

 stem to three spurs each, with two buds, and leave three vines, 

 each two or three feet long, according to the strength of your 

 stem. The three spurs will grow this year wood for the next 

 year's bearing, and the three long vines will grow the grapes. 

 Next season the old three vines which have borne grapes this 

 year are cut off to spurs with two buds each, and the three long 



