104 



SUCCESSFUL FARMING 



ing almost exclusively followed is an overhead arbor. When planted in 

 sufficient number to be called a vineyard, the vines are usually set 10 x 20, 

 15 x 15, or 20 x 20 feet apart. In the overhead system, a durable post, 

 reaching seven feet above the ground, is planted at each vine. Rows of 

 well-braced posts are set at the ends of the rows on all four sides of the 

 vineyard. From the tops of these posts, governor wires are run along the 

 tops of the inside posts in both directions, two feet apart. Parallel with 

 the governor wires other wires are run across these, so as to regularly cover 

 the entire area. Some growers construct the arbors entirely of wood, 

 using slats instead of wires. In training the vines to such arbors, a single 

 trunk should be allowed to grow from the ground alongside the post and 



VINIFERA VINES PRUNED TO CANES IN CALIFORNIA 



when it has reached the top, it is pinched in or cut off, to cause it to throw 

 out shoots which are allowed to grow and spread over the arbor. After 

 this, the general practice is to do no more pruning under the supposition 

 that the vines naturally prune themselves. It is also a mooted question 

 with the growers whether Muscadines should or should not be cultivated. 

 Experiments by the United States Department of Agriculture indecent 

 years not only go to show that other methods should be employed and 

 that the vines should be regularly cultivated, but far better fruiting results 

 and better fruit will be had by different training and thorough pruning 

 methods. 



Pruning. Details of the many methods practiced in pruning grapes 

 cannot be discussed in this paper. In California, two principal methods 

 are practiced, commonly called cane and spur pruning. Of these two 

 methods there are all kinds of combinations and modifications. The same 



