56 Fruitgrowing under Irrigation 



next vine along the middle wire, and so on alter- 

 nately all along the row, and the cordon year by 

 year extended until it reaches the cordon of the next 

 vine trained upon the same wire. The advantages 

 claimed for the cordon system is that as all the 

 growth is upon one plane there will be a more even 

 flow r of sap, and consequently a more even growth, 

 than is the case where vines are trellised with a 

 multiplicity of arms one above the other. 



On the South Australian irrigation areas currant 

 vines are usually trellised on the espalier system, 

 sometimes with two, but generally with four arms. 

 A vine trained as a two-armed espalier has all its 

 fruiting wood on one plane, as in the case of the 

 cordon, and consequently obtains the advantages 

 resulting from this method of growth. 



A currant vine trained to four arms, one along 

 each side of the stem following the bottom and 

 second wires, will, when young, have more fruiting 

 wood for the first two or three years of bearing 

 than is the case if trained with fewer arms, and 

 consequently heavier early crops can be expected. This 

 is probably the reason why this method of trellising 

 the currant is so popular; but the objection that is 

 advanced against this system is that in later years 

 the upper arms will gradually obtain most of the 

 sap and devejop at the expense of the lower ones. 

 Where this is seen to take place it is necessary to 

 cut off one of the pair of arms and turn the vine 

 into a two-armed espalier; but while both sets of 

 arms are making good growth and bearing well it 

 is as well to leave well done alone. 



To train a young currant vine on to the trellis, if 

 it is intended to shape it into a two-armed espalier, 

 it is treated in similar manner as a young sultana, 

 only the arms are left longer for a start up to 18 

 inches or 2 feet on a well-grown vine at the winter's 

 pruning during the second season. 



