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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 he borne in mind. 
The vine bears on wood of the present season’s growth, issuing 
from a bud on wood produced the »receding 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 cane which has a tendeney 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 “bull canes” or spindley stunted 
growths with a weak constitution. 
A vine with a tendeney 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 exhaustion 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 eut 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 
eut back the growth issuing from them carries fruit sparingly the 
first year. 
Pruning Young VINES. 
The aim of the pruner is to form a stem on which to build the 
framework which will carry the future crop of grapes. The year 
of planting the growth of the young vine is not 
interfered with. The subsequent season all the 
canes but one are cut off, and this cut back either 
to a height of six to nine inches if .t is intended to 
train the vine gooseberry-bush fashion, or to a 
height of 14 to 15 inches if it is meant to train it on 
a trellis. If a suitable cane is not procurable, cut 
the young vine hard back to two buds and train the 
strongest shoot which will spring from one of these -sqsReRyr~ 
buds erect to a stick or a piece of bamboo set into Moridavnte 
the ground. vine, 
STAKING. 
After the first winter pruning the vines should be staked, 
whether they be intended to be trained bush-fashion or on trellis. 
For the former use stakes about 30 inches long, driven about 
15 inches into the ground; if the vines are to be trellised the stakes 
are a few inches longer. They should be made of 114in. to 114in. 
