162 MANUAL OF AMERICAN GRAPE-GROWING 



sary in the case of grafted vines if any have escaped the sum- 

 mer root-cutting. 



Some of the vines may have made an exceptionally large 

 growth. Such vines may sometimes possess a cane large enough 

 from which to start the trunk in the way described later for 

 the second winter pruning. 



Staking. 



If the vines have not been staked before, the stakes should 

 be driven soon after pruning and before the starting of the buds. 



In order to preserve the alignment of the vineyard, the stakes 

 should be driven on the same side of every vine at a uniform 

 distance. The best distance is about two inches. If driven 

 closer they may injure large roots or even the main underground 

 stem if the vines have not been carefully planted vertically or 

 slanting towards the side on which the stake is to be placed. 



The side on which the stake should be placed depends on the 

 direction of the prevailing winds during the growing season. 

 This side is the leeward. That is, the stake should be so placed 

 that the wind will press the vine towards the stake instead of 

 away from it. This will much facilitate the work of keeping the 

 vine upright and attached to the stake. If the vine is on the 

 other side the pressure of the wind will stretch the string tight 

 and the swaying of the vine will gradually wear the string until 

 it breaks, necessitating retying. By carefully observing this 

 rule, very few vines will require retying even if weak material 

 like binding twine is used. 



Second summer pruning. 



Before the starting of the buds, in the spring following the 

 planting, most of the vines appear about the same as when 

 they were planted. There is, however, a very notable differ- 

 ence, in that they have well-developed root systems in the soil 

 where they were formed. The result is that they make a much 



