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those fibrous roots along the steins of the rooted vines which, were- 

 they allowed to grow, would be too close to the surface, and 

 would in the long, dry summer fail to maintain through the plant 

 the requisite flow of the nourishing sap, and two good buds only 

 are left on the rooted plant to supply the wood and the foliage- 

 which the vine will carry the first season of its growth. 



PRUNING FOR WOOD AND FOR FRUIT. 



Excessive wood growth is detrimental to heavy bearing, but 

 on the other hand, excessive bearing checks the growth of the vine. 

 The art of pruning consists, in a great measure, in so balancing 

 the productive and the vegetable vigour of the plant that regular- 

 average crops are borne annually of good sized, well nourished and 

 healthy grapes. 



The shoot from a bud is generally considered good for two 

 bunches of grapes, and a good size vine growing under favourable 

 conditions out in the field may be allowed from one to three dozen 

 buds. These should be uniformly distributed, according to the system 

 of training adopted, as symmetrically as possible over the vine, 

 the stronger arms being allowed, according to their vigour, more buds 

 than the weaker ones. Sturdy vines trained on overhead trellis may 

 be allowed as many as eighty buds, and even more in particular 

 circumstances. 



In connection with the pruning of the grape vine there are 

 several facts which should be borne in mind. 



The vine bears on wood of the present season's growth, issuing 

 from a bud on wood produced the preceding year. 



The activity of the sap is much greater in those shoots which 

 grow more erect, than on those which are bent down or are trained 

 horizontally ; it is also greater towards the extremity of a cane than 

 towards its base. 



A bend or a twist to a ca,ne which has a tendency to shoot 

 upwards will, while checking that tendency to excessive wood 

 growth, favour its productiveness. 



Only leave matured wood, of medium size, and short jointed,, 

 in preference to either luxuriant " full canes" or spindly stunted 

 growths with a weak constitution. 



A vine with a tendency to " go to wood" should be pruned for 

 fruit, by resorting to either long or to mixed pruning. If, on the 

 other hand, a vine shows signs of distress and does not make a fair 

 amount of wood, it should be severely pruned so as to reduce the 

 number of the fruit-bearing buds. 



Suckers and water shoots should be cut clean out, unless 

 required for renewing the top of the vine, or part of it ; these shoots 

 are, as a rule, sterile the first season after they come out. When 

 cut back the growth issuing from them carries fruit sparingly the- 

 first year. 



