TIME TO PRUNE VINES. 123 



Fig. 39 shows the relative sizes of such as are commonly 

 used for trellises. Nos. 14 and 16 are large enough for 

 the perpendicular wires on such trellises as I have de- 

 scribed ; 8 and 10 are the sizes used when put on hori- 

 zontally. The number of pounds of wire required for a 

 given length of trellis may be readily ascertained by cal- 

 culating the number of feet required, and then dividing 

 the amount by the number of feet in a pound, which is 

 as follows : 



No. 8. 13 feet to the pound. I No. 14. 64 feet to the pound. 

 No. 10. 20 " " " No. 16. 102 ' 



No. 12. 33 " * 



CHAPTER XV. 



TIME TO PRUNE VINES. 



The time for pruning vines will vary with the local- 

 ity in which they are grown ; but, as a general rule, it 

 may be commenced as soon as the vine has shed its 

 leaves in the autumn ; and if the wood is to be used for 

 propagation, it is certainly better if taken from the vines 

 before it has been severely frozen. But in pruning in 

 the autumn or winter, the vines should not be cut back 

 to the bud or buds that are wanted for fruit, but leave 

 one or two extra ones above them, and then go over the 

 vines a few weeks before they start in the spring, and 

 cut off these extra buds. This second pruning I usually 

 do the last of February or the first of March, always 

 pruning before the cold weather is entirely past ; for if 

 delayed until the sap begins to flow rapidly, it will issuft 

 from the wounds in such excessive quantities as to mate- 

 rially injure the vine. If the vines are pruned in the 

 autumn down to the buds which are wanted for produc- 

 ing fruiting canes, the uppermost buds are very likely to 



