336 



PRINCIPLES A XI) PRACTICE OF PRUNLNG 



(Fig. 283) so there will be no danger of the ends being turned up- 

 wards when planted. If they are to be planted in a large hole they 

 may be left as long as 5 or 6 inches; if to be 

 planted with a crowbar or a dibble, they must 

 be cut back to M> inch. 



There is little if any advantage in leaving 

 long pieces of roots. They are not feeding 

 roots and are of no use to the vine until they 

 develop feeding rootlets. This they will do 

 as well if shortened as if left of full length, 

 often better. The main advantage of a rooted 

 vine over a cutting is that it forms rootlets 

 more easily and rapidly. There may be a 

 slight advantage in leaving 3 or 4 inches of 

 the sound well-grown roots, as the reserve 

 matters they contain probably promote a bet- 

 ter growth of rootlets, but little or no differ- 

 ence has been noted between the growth of 

 vines of which the roots have been shortened 

 to l /2 inch and those which have been left 

 longer. Where the roots are left long, more- 

 over, more care and time are needed in 

 planting. 



If the rooted vine has several canes, all out 

 one should be removed entirely, and this one 

 shortened to one or two eyes. The one left 

 should be that which is strongest, has the best 

 buds, and is the best placed. Where a hori- 

 zontal cane is left, it should be cut back to the 

 base bud. Otherwise the main growth may occur 

 at a higher bud and the vine will have a crook 

 which will result in a badly formed trunk. 



If equally vigorous canes are growing from 

 different joints it is usually best to leave tin- 

 lower cane. This brings the buds from which 

 growth will come nearer to the roots, and 

 leaves less of the original cutting. The upper 

 joint between the canes is, moreover, often 

 more or less decayed or imperfect. 



248. Planting. Cuttings differ only in length ; the shortest. 

 10 inches, are best suited to the nursery, those 12 to 14 inches t> 

 the field, the longest 16 to 18 inches in only the driest soils. Always 

 they are cut just below a bud to facilitate healing and root forma- 

 tion. The top may be cut just above a bud so as to leave the pro 

 tecting diaphragm or about 1 inch of internode. Cuttings are 

 planted with the second bud at the level of the ground, leaving only 

 one bud above. Rooted vines are planted with the two buds just 



FIG. 283 ROOTED 



VINE PRUNED 

 This is a bench- 

 grafted vine in which 

 SS shows a sucker 

 from the stock; U, the 

 point of union of stock 

 and cion, and CR the 

 cion root. The dotted 

 line at the bottom in- 

 dicates where the roots 

 should be pruned. 



