508 GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. 



liberally drawn from the writings of Professor E. G. 

 Lodeman, late horticulturist of Cornell University Ex- 

 periment Station; Professor L. II. Bailey, of the same 

 institution, and Mr. Hugh N. Starnes, horticulturist of 

 the Georgia Experiment Station. 



For a better understanding of the terms used the fol- 

 lowing definitions are given: 



Shoot. — The growth of wood less than one year old. 



Cane. — Mature shoots of one year's growth. 



Arm. — Mature w r ood stems of three years' and more 

 growth. 



Spur. — A shortened or pruned cane, generally bearing 

 only from one to four buds. 



" The operation of pruning the vine is performed for 

 the sole purpose of removing such wood as will not bear, 

 or such as is supposed to interfere with the production of 

 the finest crop of fruit that the plant is able to mature. 

 Its primary object, therefore, is to reduce the amount of 

 bearing wood, and thereby thin the fruit so that the roots 

 of the vine are not taxed beyond their capacity. 



"All the fruit is, of course, borne upon the shoots which 

 grow from the buds now found upon the canes; the canes, 

 therefore, must be removed, and not the older wood, for 

 the latter serves as the framework upon which the canes 

 are maintained. 



" In cutting away the canes, all w r ood which has not 

 properly matured should be removed, and those shoots 

 which have made an excessive growth, forming i bull 

 canes,' are also undesirable. The medium-sized, short- 

 jointed, and well-matured wood is to be preferred, and 

 such wood only. Yet some of this well developed wood 

 must also be sacrificed, until the amount allowed to re- 

 main upon the plant is reduced to the proper proportion. 

 Assuming that the plant can mature the fruit produced 

 by twenty-four buds (the number of buds left may vary 



