Pruning 219 



proper fruiting of the vines. These facts are usually well 

 known to the nurserymen and prominent vineyardists. f rom 

 whom the amateur can obtain the desired information, in 

 case it is not contained in the books or catalogues to 

 which he has access. Likewise the information is obtain- 

 able from the experiment station authorities upon request. 

 Vines w'hich bear the imperfect flowers need to have 

 planted with them the vines of other varieties known to 

 produce an abundance of pollen, and which bloom at about 

 the same time. 



Pruning 



The grape responds to the style of pruning and the 

 manner in which it is done more than any other cultivated 

 fruit. Good grapes cannot be produced on vines which 

 are not regularly and systematically pruned. Yet more 

 vineyards are ruined through improper pruning than in any 

 other way. Too many growers, especially those who do 

 not observe the action of their vines closely enough, ex- 

 pect their vines to do too much. They leave too much 

 fruit-producing wood. In this way the vines continually 

 over-bear themselves, and are quickly exhausted. 



The manner of pruning will differ with different varie- 

 ties. Some need to be left with long canes of fruiting 

 wood, while others need to be cut back to spurs on which 

 there are only a couple of buds. Some kinds will need to 

 have short but strong fruiting canes left, while others will 

 do best when the small, short-jointed canes are used for 

 fruiting wood. 



One thing needs to be borne in mind with the usual 

 kinds of grapes that is, to keep the bearing wood close 

 to the original trunk or head of the vine. The tendency is 

 for the fruiting wood to get farther and farther away each 

 year, and on account of this habit it is important that the 

 fruit-producing canes be renewed from time to time, by 

 being cut back to the stump. This will cause new shoots 

 to form on the trunk, thereby renewing the fruiting wood. 

 With vines which are trained on a trellis this renewal need 

 not be done until the spurs or canes get out so far they 



