302 



PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF PRUNING 



The experiments have been conducted in a vineyard planted in 

 1905. Prunin.i^s were as follows: one row, immediately after \in 

 tage; another at the time of full leaf; during the dormant period; at 

 the tmie the eyes first appeared; during the budding period; and 

 when the terminal shoots were about 2 inches long. The shoots in 

 all cases were cut back to two eyes. 



flis conclusions drawn fnmi his seven years of experiment* are 

 that vnies pruned promptly after leaf fall were the first to start 

 grouth the following spring; vines pruned when most dormant (late 

 Llecembcr and early January) started four days later; those pruned 

 when bleedmg may be expected (in southern b'rancc about b'cbru- 

 ary 211) resumed growth six davs later; those pruned when the 

 tcrmmal buds began to swell in March were eleven days later, and 

 those cut when the terminal growths were :; or :j inches long were 

 20 days late. Hence growth started according to the laten'ess of 

 the prunmg. The only exception was with vines fall pruned soon 

 after harvest whde the leaves were .still green. These pushed into 

 growth 10 days later than the vines pruned immediately after the 

 fall leaves dropped. 



One practical application of this knowledge may be 

 the retardation of shoots and blossoms in early spring 

 long enough to escape late frosts. E.xperiments' in Cali- 

 fornia have proved the utility of this; several vines 

 pruned about the middle of March were saved, while those 

 pruned in late fall and early winter were killed by a late 

 April frost. March pruning in California may delay 

 blooming ten days. Season of ripening is slightly de- 

 layed, liut when frosts occur the early- 

 pruned vines may bloom early but 

 mature their fruit late, because the ear- 

 liest shoots may be destroyed and only 

 such flowers and fruit as are on tardy 

 buds escape the itijury. 



216. How much to prune. — A vig- 

 orous vine may carry 20 to 30 canes 

 each bearing a dozen to a score of Inids, 

 ,.i(, 261 '' total of perhaps 250 to 300 or more. 



UMBRELLA TRELLIS Probably not more than 50 or 75 of 

 ''°" 'rJunj,'^"'" these buds will produce shoots, the 



■ Taille Hativu au Taille Tardive, 1912, 



