GRAPE MANUAL. 



21 



these young shoots, if there are three, leave on- 

 ly the two strongest, tying them neatly to the 

 trellis, and let them grow unchecked to the up- 

 permost wire. 



With the strong-growing varieties, especially 

 where we intend to grow the fruit on laterals or 

 spurs, the two main canes are pinched off when 

 they reach the second horizontal wire, whereby 

 the laterals are forced into stronger growth, 

 each forming a medium-sized cane, which is 

 shortened in the fall from four to six buds. One 

 of the two main canes may be layered in June, 

 covering it with mellow soil, about an inch 

 deep, leaving the ends of the laterals out of the 

 ground. These will generally make good plants 

 in the fall for further plantations ; with varie- 

 ties which do not grow easily from cuttings, 

 this method is particularly desirable. Fig. 23 

 shows the vines tied and pruned, accordingly, 

 at the end of the second season (the cross lines 

 through the canes showing where they are cut 

 off or pruned). 



Another good mode of training, recommended 

 by Fuller, is to bend down in fall, at the end of 

 the second season, the two main canes of the 

 vines (the laterals of which have been pinched 

 back to concentrate the growth into these main 

 canes) in opposite directions, laying and tying 

 them against the lower wire or bar of the trellis, 

 as shown in figure 22, and shortening them to 

 four feet each. Then let five or six of the 

 buds on the upper side of the arms be grown in- 

 to upright canes. All buds and shoots not 

 wanted for upright canes, should be rubbed or 

 broken off. This latter method is not well 

 adapted for varieties which require covering in 

 winter. Where the canes are started lower, 

 near the ground, and cut loose from the wire, 

 they can be easily covered with earth. 



At the commencement of the third season (un- 

 cover and) tie the canes to the trellis, as shown 

 before. For tying, any soft string or stout 

 woolen yarn, the shreds of old gunnies, may be 

 used; some obtain their tying material from 

 basswood-bark, soaked for two weeks or longer 



in running water. Mr. Husmann 

 recommends to plant the Golden 

 Willow or any other willow (Pur- 

 purea Vinivalis), and to use its 

 small twigs for tying purposes. Tie 

 tightly, and as young canes grow, 

 keep them tied, but, in all cases, 

 take care against tying too tightly, 

 as the free flow of sap may be ob- 

 structed. 



The ground is now plowed and hoed again, 

 as described before. From each of the buds 

 left at the last pruning (as shown in the 

 preceding figures), canes can be grown du- 

 ring the third year, and each of these canes 

 will probably bear two or three bunches of 

 fruit. There is danger of their being injured 

 by over-bearing, on which account the bunches 

 should be tl.inned out by taking away all im- 

 perfect bunches and feeble shoots. In order to 

 secure future fruitfulness of the vine, and to 

 keep it at the same time in our convenient con- 

 trol, we should allow no more wood to grow 

 than we need for next seasons' bearing, and for 

 this purpose we resort to Spring pruning, gen- 

 erally, though improperly, called : 



SUMMER PRUNING. 



The time to perform the first summer pruning 

 is when the young shoots are about six inches 

 long, and when you can see plainly all the small 

 bunches the embryo fruit. We commence at 

 the lower two spurs, having two buds each, and 

 both started. One of them we intend for a 

 bearing cane next summer; therefore, allow it 

 to grow unchecked for the present, tying it, if 

 long enough, to the lowest wire. The other, 

 which we intend for a spur again next fall, we 

 pinch with the thumb and finger to just beyond 



Fig 1 . 24. Fig. 25. 



the last bunch or button, taking out the leader 

 between the last bunch and the next leaf, as 

 shown in fig. 24, the cross line indicating where 

 the leader is to be pinched off. We now come 



