348 PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF PRUNING 



from the top of the cane and growing vertically upwards are to be 

 preferred. 



As the shoots develop, the strongest should be pinched repeatedly, 

 if necessary. This will tend to force the growth of the weaker shoots 

 and to equalize the vigor of all. At the end of the season, there 

 should be from 5 to 10 canes growing on each cordon of full length. 

 These canes are then pruned back to two or three buds, or a little 

 longer for long-pruned varieties. 



During the following spring and summer, the vines should be 

 carefully suckered and unnecessary water sprouts removed. Any 

 shoots coming from the lower side of the cordon should be removed 

 early to strengthen the growth in the shoots on the upper side. 

 Such vines are apt to become dry or decayed on the upper side. At 

 the end of the fourth or fifth year from planting at the latest, the 

 cordon will be fully formed and the final style of pruning may be 

 applied. 



262. Renovation of imperfect or misshapen vines. The pruner 

 who with definite ideas properly handles his vines from the begin- 

 ning can, in most cases, bring them into the required shape with 

 comparative ease. Often, perhaps usually, he has to deal with vines 

 which have some more or less serious fault. They^ may be misshapen 

 owing to defective pruning, or otherwise imperfect owing to me- 

 chanical injuries, or as the result of frost, fungi, or insect pests. If 

 the vines are young, the defects can often be overcome and the vine 

 given a proper form very easily. 



As the vines become older, it becomes increasingly difficult to 

 overcome defects of formation. The disadvantage of a low head 

 may be in part avoided by gradually lengthening the arms and giving 

 them a more vertical direction. An ill-formed head may be im- 

 proved by removing badly placed arms and developing new arms 

 where needed. 



The trunks of many old vines are so defective that little improve- 

 ment can be obtained by these means. It is possible and occasionally 

 profitable completely to renew the trunks of such vines. This may 

 be done by developing a new trunk from a strong cane originating 

 at or below the surface of the ground and then cutting away the 

 old trunk. 



But this method has the same defect as the grafting of old vines ; 

 leaves a large wound where the old stump was removed, a w<nm<l 

 whicti may never heal and which finally allows the entrance of 

 wood-rot fungi. Such renewed vines, however, may last as long as 

 if the old decayed trunk had been left, perhaps longer. They will 

 also be more fruitful and easier to handle properly. The change 

 may be made without the loss of a crop, as occurs in grafting. If 

 the stumps are large, the expense of sawing them off is considerable, 



263. Choice of a system. J n choosing a system, we must considi-r 

 carefully the characteristics of the particular variety we are growing. 

 A variety which bears only on the upper buds must be pruned "Ion-." 



