TRAINING GRAPES IN EASTERN AMERICA 139 



and allowing no other to grow, a partial crop can be had the 

 second year, without damage, on all but weak growers, like 

 Delaware, that should not be allowed to bear until the third 

 year. At the first regular pruning (all prunings should be 

 done in November or December, after leaf fall, and never so 

 late as to cause the vines to bleed), the vine should be cut back 

 to two or three buds that have reached the middle wire, if 

 weak growers, if strong, with heavy growth, six or eight buds 

 each, to two arms, one going each way along the lower wire 

 from where the ascending vine first touches the wire. After 

 the vines are thus pruned, the outer end of each arm is firmly 

 tied to the lower wire, along which it is gently coiled. These 

 two ties hold the vine firmly in place. The buds on the arms 

 push and ascend, passing over the lateral wires, clinging thereto 

 with their tendrils, and hang over like a beautiful green drapery 

 shading the fruit and body of the vine according to its natural 

 habit. 



"On the canopy trellis, all the summer pruning required is, 

 to go through the vineyard at or a few days before blooming 

 time, and with a light sharp butcher knife, clip off the tips of 

 all advanced shoots to be left for bearing, leaving two or three 

 leaves beyond the outer flower cluster. From the shoots near 

 the crotch, selected for bearing arms the next year, pick the 

 flower clusters, and strip off or rub off all shoots and buds that 

 start on trunk of vine below crotch. This latter is very im- 

 portant, as such shoots, if left, eat up the nourishment of the 

 land with no return but added work at pruning time. 



" It will be found that the shoots at the $nds of the arms usu- 

 ally start first and strongest, and if not clipped back, will 

 not allow the buds back toward the crotch to start well, but 

 if clipped, all other desirable buds then push. 



"In about six to ten days after the first clipping, a second 

 one is usually necessary, especially if the weather is moist and 

 warm, and the land rich. The first clipped shoots, as well as 



