THE GRAPE 



189 



fruit carried high upon the vine, is less liable to rot 

 or mildew, and is where it can be readily thinned and 

 picked. 



Pruning the Vine. 



By the above method all the pruning required is the 

 cutting off of the fruiting cane after the leaves have 

 fallen, removing all laterals and small canes near the 



FIG. 68 Grapevine in Garden Unpruned for Five Years. 



ground, and heading back the new canes to the proper 

 length to cover the trellis, or other support. Either one 

 or two canes may be used on the trellis; if two, one is 

 trained each side of the centre of the vine. 



The time for pruning the vines may be from the fall- 

 ing of the leaves in the fall to the starting of the buds in 

 the spring, but the earlier it is done the better. If left 

 until growth begins, the sap will often flow from the cut 

 and possibly injure the vines. 



Neglected vines may be pruned somewhat after the 



