146 



The Canadian HoRricui/ruRisr 



SUMMER PRUNINC. (;RAPKS. 



H E time to commence is when the young shoots are six to eight 

 inches long, and as soon as you can see all the young bunches 

 of the embryo fruit. We pinch with ihuml) and finger just 

 l)eyond the last bunch and the next leaf If the shoots are not 

 sufficiently developed to show their condition (the setting of the 

 fruit) wc i)ass them by and go over the vine again after a few days. 

 This early pinching of the young shoots has the tendency to throw all the 

 vigor into the development of the young bunches and the leaves remaining over 

 the shoots, which now develop with astonishing rapidity. It is a gentle checking 

 and leading the sap into other channels — not the violent process which is often 

 followed, long after the bloom, when the shoots have so hardened that the knife 

 must be used, and by which the plant is rt)bbed of a large part of its leaves to 

 the injury of both fruit and vine. 



Let anyone who wishes to satisfy himself summer-prune a vine according to 

 this method and leave the next vine until after the bloom ; he will soon be 

 convinced which is best. Since I first practiced this method, now about twenty 

 vears. it has added at least one-third to the quantity and quality of my crop and 

 is now followed by most of the intelligent growers of my State. 



The bearing shoots all being pinched back we can leave the vines alone 

 until after the bloom, only tying up the young canes from the spurs, should this 

 become necessary. When they have bloomed the laterals will have started from 

 the axils of the leaves on the bearing shoots. I'hen go over the vines again and 

 pinch these back to one leaf. This will have a tendency to develop the 

 remaining leaf very rapidly, enabling it to serve as a conductor and elevator of 

 sap to the young bunch opposite and shading that as it becomes fully developed. 

 The canes from the spurs, which we left unchecked at the first pinching, and 

 which we design to bear fruit the next season may now also be stopped or 

 pinched back when they are about three feet long, to start their laterals into 

 stronger growth pinch off all the tendrils unless where they serve as supports 

 to the young growth. 'I'his is a very busy time with the vine dresser and upon 

 his close attention and diligence now dei)ends in a great measure the value of 

 his crop. A vast deal of labor can be saved by doing everything at its proper 

 ;ime. — I'kok. Husmann. in Vinevardist. 



