44 THE GRAPE. 



gradually worked in around the vines as they grow until the holes 

 are full. On heavy soils, especially those quite moist, it is not safe 

 to plant deep, and eight inches will probably be found about the 

 right depth in most locations. In planting vines to be pruned on 

 the one-cane system, which is generally practiced by grape growers 

 in this region, it is best to incline them somewhat in the direction 

 in which they are to be trained on the trellises, this should be in 

 the direction of the prevailing summer winds. 



Cultivation.— Soon after planting the vines should be well 

 cultivated, and some hoed crop that will not shade them may be 

 grown between the rows for the first two years. After this the 

 vines will need all the land. Cultivation should consist of a shal- 

 low plowing early each spring and during the summer. The top 

 soil should be kept loose and light by shallow cultivation. Deep 

 cultivation or much cultivation late in summer is not desirable in a 

 vineyard, and it may cause serious injury. If the land is lightly 

 plowed each spring no large surface-roots will have time to form; 

 but if this is neglected for several years large surface-roots will 

 get started, and then plowing may seriously injure the vines. 



Pruning and Training are the great bugbears to amateurs 

 in grape growing, and the attempt to follow some peculiar method 

 has done more than anything else to discourage the growing of this 

 fruit by farmers. As a matter of fact vines will grow and bear 

 fruit without any pruning whatever. ' Pruning is done simply to 

 get the most good fruit from the least amount of vine, and for prac- 

 tical purposes it is a very simple matter. There are, however, 

 many systems described in books, and occasionally used in prac- 

 tice, that are quite complicated and difficult for a beginner to un- 

 derstand. * The practical points to have in mind in pruning grapes 

 are: (1) That the old wood which has borne fruit once never bears 

 again. (2) That the wood that is formed one season produces the 

 bearing wood for the next season. (3) If all the new wood is left 

 on the vine it will bear ten times more 

 clusters than it can properly develop, 

 and they will all be small and imperfect. 

 (4) If ninetenths of the new wood is cut 

 away leaving only from three to six 

 buds to each stalk the yield of good 

 grapes will be much increased. (5) It 

 is desirable in severe climates to train 

 the vine so that it can be laid down on 

 the ground with but little resistance, for 

 in such locations it is necessary to pro- 

 tect it each winter. Fig. 3l.— Autumn of first, year. 



If these points are borne in mind it JT'''^ ^7'"^'^ "''"^ prepared 

 ^ ,,. ^ for winter. 



matters not so very much what system 



or whether any system at all is pursued 



in pruning. However, it will be found 



most convenient to adhere somewhat cleariy to some simple system 



