24 



BUSHBERG CATALOGUE. 



FALL OR WINTER PRUNING. 



This may be performed at any time, dur- 

 ing mild days, while the vine is in a dormant 

 state, generally from November to March, but 

 should be done at least a week before vegeta- 

 tion is likely to commence. Tender varieties, 

 which require covering, must, of course, be 

 pruned in November. 



Different varieties will require somewhat dif- 

 ferent treatment, some varieties (strong grow- 

 ers) will fruit better if pruned to spurs on old 

 wood, than on the young canes, retaining the 

 old canes and pruning the healthy, strong 

 shoots or laterals they have to two buds, 

 whereas, others (only moderate growers) will 

 flourish and bear best when pruned short and 

 to a cane of last season's growth. 



The observing vintner will find some hints 

 in our descriptive catalogue, but only by prac- 

 tice and experience can he learn the best method 

 for each variety. 



The following are the views of Mr. Husmann 

 on this subject: 



Some varieties will bear more readily and 

 larger bunches upon the laterals of the young 

 canes, some upon the spurs of a few eyes on old 

 bearing branches, and some will fruit readily 

 upon the principal canes. This should govern 

 you in pruning. 



Most of the strong growers of the Labrusca 

 species, (Concord, Hartford, Ives, Martha, Per- 

 kins, etc.,) as well as some of its more vigorous 

 Hybrids, (Goethe, Wilder, etc.,) and especially 

 some JEstivalis, (Herbemont, Cunningham, 

 Louisiana, Rulander,) will fruit best on the lat- 

 erals of the young canes of last summer's growth 

 provided they are strong enough, which they 

 will be if they have been pinched according to 

 our directions ; the fruit buds at the base of the 

 principal canes are seldom well developed, and 

 will not bring much fruit. We therefore grow 

 the fruit on the laterals, which can be shortened 

 in to from two to six eyes each, according to 

 their strength. All these rank growers should 

 have plenty to do, that is they should be pruned 

 long, much longer than is generally done. 

 Should too many bunches appear, you can 

 easily reduce the number at the first pinching. 

 All the Cordifolia, and some of the ^Estivalis 

 class (Cynthiana and Norton's Virginia) , pro- 

 duce best on spurs on two or three year old canes; 

 they will also bear better on spurs on laterals 

 than on main canes, but do not produce their 

 best fruit until they can be " spurred in " on old 

 arms. For this purpose, select for your spurs 



strong, well ripened shoots, cut them back two 

 to three eyes each, and cut out all the small and 

 imperfect ones. You may leave from thirty to 

 fifty buds, according to the strength of your 

 vine, and always bear in mind (hat you can re- 

 duce the number of bunches, when summer 

 pruning. 



A third class produces readily and abundantly 

 from the main caues. This comprises the van- 

 lies which do not grow very strong, the more 

 tender Labrusca and all of more or less Vinifera 

 characteristics, viz: the Alvey, Cassady, Creve- 

 ling, Catawba, Delaware, lona, Rebecca. 

 These will produce best on short canes of say 

 six eyes, short pruning, and the old renewal 

 plan may be as good as any for them. There is 

 also much more danger of overtasking this class 

 than both of the others, and they should never 

 be allowed to bear too much. 



Grape Culturist, Nov. 1870. 



From the above it will be seen that different 

 methods apply to different varieties, and we 

 may add that they ought to be also modified ac- 

 cording to other circumstances. Those, there- 

 fore, who have recommended various and con- 

 tradictory systems of training and pruning may 

 have each been right ; but were wrong in be- 

 lieving their preferred method the only correct 

 method in all cases, or equally well adapted for 

 all species and varieties of grapes. Bearing- this 

 in mind the intelligent vintner will soon learn 

 how far one or the other systems is best appli- 

 cable in his case. 



SUBSEQUENT MANAGEMENT. 



We may now consider the vine as fully estab- 

 lished, able to bear a full crop, and when tied 

 to the trellis in spring, to present the appear- 

 ance as shown in fig. 26. 



(Fig. 26.) 



The operations are precisely the same as in 

 the third year. If you train your vines on the 

 horizontal system, the upright canes, which 

 were pruned back to two buds each, will now 

 produce two shoots each, If more than one 

 shoot should proceed from each of these two 

 buds, or if other shoots should start from small 



