412 



THE GRAPE. 



bunches of fruit, and if the canes are strong enough, these 

 may be allowed to remain and ripen, and will present in 

 autumn the appearance shown in Fig. 558, or as in Fig. 559 

 after the leaves have fallen. 



If the vine is intended to be laid down and slightly covered 

 for winter, the pruning may be done at any time after the fall 



of the leaf. Or if it is desired to 

 use the wood that is cut away for 

 propagating new vines, the prun- 

 ing should be done before the 

 shoots are severely frozen. As all 

 pruning in autumn increases the 

 liability to injury by the cold of 

 winter, one or two extra buds 



should be left on the stump, to be cut down the following 

 spring. If the pruning is not done in autumn, it may be 

 performed at any subsequent period before spring.* 



MODE OF PRUNING. When the young arms are first attached 

 to the trellis, each bud, which is intended to form its upright 



FIG. 559. 



FIG. 5 6o. 



FIG. 561. 



bearing shoots, will present the appearance shown in Fig. 560. 

 After growing one season, as in Fig. 559, each shoot is to be 

 cut down to a good bud, as in Fig. 563. This bud is to grow 

 and form the bearing shoot for next year. The pruning should 

 be done as closely as practicable to the horizontal arms, pro- 

 vided one good strong bud is left on the stump or spur. After 

 the pruning is completed, the vines (already represented by 

 Fig. 558) will exhibit the appearance in Fig. 562. The vine 

 is now ready to throw up another set of bearing shoots for the 

 coming year. It is the practice of some cultivators to leave 



* Bleeding^ or the rapid escape of the sap by spring pruning, causes much 

 less injury than is generally supposed, and many cultivators who have made 

 the experiment thoroughly have scarcely perceived any unfavorable result on 

 hardy grapes. 



