306 General Suggestions. 
GENERAL NOTES OS PRUNING. 
Longer or shorter pruning produces effects not only upon 
the amount and early ripening of the fruit of certain varieties, 
but upon quality, as shown in the wine. Such effects have to be 
discerned by local observation. 
It is a very difficult matter to lay down any rule for pruning 
a vineyard, so much depends on the age of the vines, the differ- 
ent varieties, and the quality of the soil. A basis on which to 
build a theory on the subject might be found in and through an 
understanding of the quantity ot grapes that may be expected 
from a vine, as the secret of pruning is to keep a just medium 
between the production of grapes to the injury of the vine and 
its wood and an overproduction of wood to the detriment of the 
crop. In older vines a proportion should be maintained between 
the vigor of the vines and the crop desired; each bud may be 
considered good for two bunches of grapes the ordinary size, and 
‘upon this estimate may be obtained. It must be borne in mind 
that the result of overloading the vine is detrimental to its vigor 
and health, while the reverse will not injure it, but will lessen the 
profits for that season, often giving greatly increased returns in 
after years. 
Close attention should be given to the growth of the wood 
and fruit of the preceding year. If the canes are very large and 
the bunches of grapes poor and there are many suckers, it indi- 
cates that more eyes are necessary. On the contrary, if the canes 
are small, and the bunches of grapes numerous and straggling, 
and the ripening not even, it indicates that the number of eyes 
left should be less. 
Pruning should also be regulated to produce a good second 
crop of grapes or to prevent the formation of a second crop. 
The second crop is often desirable in raisin and table varieties, 
but undesirable in wine varieties. 
Attention should be paid to the tools used in pruning. Let 
the blades be kept sharp and thin; large shears are very apt to 
bruise the wood more than small ones. 
Pruning is done after the iall of the leaves and before the 
swelling of the buds, usually in January and February. Early 
pruning has a tendency to make the vines start growth early, 
consequently in frosty situations pruning is often deferred till 
late in the winter—as late as the middle of March in some cases. 
In such situations it is advised to leave more buds at pruning, 
so that if the frost kills the first shoots there are buds below to 
make later growth. This practise has been followed with marked 
advantage in some regions liable to late spring frosts. 
The treatment of vines injured by spring frosts is clearly 
the inimediate removal, by a sharp downward jerk, of the frosted 
