FIRST STEP IN SHORT PRUNING 



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Fig. 1. Treatment of an average vine during second season. 



a. Winter pruning. 



b. Spring pruning removal of suckers (S) and thinning of shoots (W). 



c. Summer treatment tying to stake and topping. 



In no case should two canes of any length be left, and in all 

 cases where it is impossible to obtain the full length of well-ripened 

 wood for tying up, the cane should be cut back to two buds. It 

 is very bad practice to leave some of the canes of intermediate 

 length, as this causes the vines to head out at various heights 

 and produces an irregularity of shape which can never be remedied 

 and which interferes with regular pruning, cultivation and other 

 vineyard work. 



The idea to be kept in mind is to cut back each winter nearly 

 to the ground that is, to two buds until a cane is produced 

 with a length of well-ripened wood and good buds equal to the 

 height at which the vine is to be headed. It is very important 

 that this cane should be straight, healthy and well-ripened, as it 

 is from it that the trunks of the mature vine develops. All the 

 vines on which a cane has been left should be carefully tied up. 

 Two ties will be needed in most cases. A half hitch should be 

 made around the cane below the swelling left by the bud which 

 has been removed, and the cane tied firmly to the top of the stake. 

 Another tie is made about half-way down the stake. The lower 

 tie need not be very tight, and in any case the tying material should 

 not be passed completely around the cane, except above 



