130 MANUAL OF MODERN VITICULTURE. 



Most of the old cepages of the South of France only bear 

 crops when primed short, and their grafting on American 

 stocks cannot modify the systems already adopted. But 

 this does not apply to direct producers of the ^Estivalis 

 group. Most of these (Herbemont, Cunningham, Black 

 July) require long pruning. As for the Jacquez, it bears 

 fruit on all its buds, but long rod pruning seems to suit it 

 better and results in a far greater crop ; it should, therefore, 

 be resorted to wherever possible.* 



We will study their mode of execution, beginning with 

 short spur pruning. The first element to consider is the 

 choice of the cane furnishing the spur. From the point of 

 view of the yield, medium, healthy, well lignified canes 

 should be preferred. If they are too large they produce 

 wood ; if, on the contrary, they are too small, their growth 

 is sickly. It is also necessary to preserve a good shape, 

 and, therefore, to choose a spur on the prolongation of the 

 arm which bears it. In the gooseberry bush system canes 

 radiating from the centre should be selected ; they should 

 also be more or less slanting upwards, according to the 

 variety to be cultivated ; for varieties of spreading habit 

 the spur should be selected nearer the vertical, for those of 

 erect habit nearer the horizontal, to prevent the foundation 

 wood from closing at the top. Finally, spurs should be 



selected as close as 

 possible to the parent 

 stem to prevent a 

 too rapid elongation 

 of the arms. 



When these canes 

 have been selected 

 all others are pruned 

 away, and these cut 

 down to the required 



Spur pruning. Spur after pruning. length, that is to 



say, generally two 



eyes and a dormant eye (Figs. 108 and 109). It is 

 sometimes advisable to retain a third eye on varieties 

 starting to grow early in the season and growing in regions 



* From experiments carried out in 1880 at the School of Agriculture, at Montpellier, 

 Jacquez plants, submitted to long pruning, gave 17 Ibs. of grapes, and those submitted 

 to short pruning gave only ll Ibs. All experiments made since seem to corroborate these 

 results. 



