24 American Grape Training. 



cially by heading-in very lightly and by doing it as 

 late in the season as possible, when new lateral 

 growth does not start readily. The necessity of 

 much heading-in has been largely obviated in late 

 years by the adoption of high or drooping systems 

 of training, and by setting the vines far apart. The 

 strong varieties, like Concord, Brighton and Ni- 

 agara, should be set ten feet apart in the row, 

 especially if grown upon the Kniifin system. Ca- 

 tawba, being a very upright grower and especially 

 well adapted to upright training, may be set eight 

 feet apart, and Delawares are often set as close as 

 six or eight feet. It is doubtful, however, if any 

 variety should be set less than eight feet apart for 

 trellis culture. In Virginia and southward, where 

 the growth is large because of the long seasons, 

 vines are often set more than ten feet apart. In 

 the South, the rows should run north and south, 

 that the fruit may be shaded from midday sun. 

 The only summer heading-in now generally recom- 

 mended is the clipping of the tips when they fall 

 over and begin to touch the ground. This clip- 

 ping is often done with a sickle or sharp corn-cutter. 

 Objects of Pruning. — The objects of pruning the 

 grape, as of other fruits, are five : 



1. To produce larger and better fruit. 



2. To maintain or augment the vigor of the vine. 



3. To keep the vine within manageable limits. 



4. To facilitate cultivation. 



5. To facilitate spraying. 



