52 American Grape Training. 



shoots reach the top of the trellis, they are usually 

 allowed to take care of themselves. The Catawba 

 shoots stand nsarly erect above the top wire and 

 ordinarily need no attention. The long-growing 

 varieties will be likely to drag the shoots upon the 

 ground before the close of the season. If these 

 tips interfere with the cultivation, they may be 

 clipped off with a sickle or corn-cutter, although 

 this practice should be delayed as long as possible 

 to prevent the growth of laterals (see page 21). It 

 is probably better to avoid cutting entirely. Some 

 growers wind or tie the longest shoots upon the top 

 wire, as seen in fig. 17. It is probably best, as a 

 rule, to allow the shoots to hang over naturally, and 

 to clip them only when they seriously interfere with 

 the work of the hoe and cultivator. The treatment 

 for slat trellises, as shown in fig. 18, is the same as 

 on wire trellises, except that longer strings must be 

 used in tying. 



It is apparent that nearly or quite all the fruit 

 in the High Renewal is borne between the first and 

 second wires, at the bottom of the trellis. If the 

 lower wire is twenty-four or thirty inches high, this 

 fruit will hang at the most convenient height for 

 picking. The fruit trays are set upon the ground, 

 and both hands are free. The fruit is also pro- 

 tected from the hot suns and from frost ; and if the 

 shoots are properly tied, the clusters are not shaken 

 roughly by the wind. It is, of course, desirable 

 that all the clusters should be fully exposed to light 



