August 11, 1892. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
1 f Y ideas of the functions of Grape Vine leaves may not bear the 
■ill criticism of an expert in plant physiology, and very probably 
differ somewhat from those generally adopted by gardeners ; but all 
the same, I shall venture to give expression to them. In the course 
of my remarks I shall most probably touch upon points in Grape 
culture that have previously been well discussed, though not very 
recently, and if some of my readers feel disposed to combat my 
propositions good should result out of it. I believe I am right 
in supposing that it is generally thought that one of the principal 
functions of the leaves is the drawing up of sap from the roots 
and collecting gases from the atmosphere, assimilating and disposing 
of these largely in the direction of maturing the fruit. This 
undoubtedly does take place, though not so directly as we are apt 
to think. The leaves are absolutely necessary for the well-doing 
of the plant, but is their connection with the bunches so very 
intimate ? I think not. They are by no means such unselfish 
foster nurses as might be thought ; at any rate, their functions lie 
rather in the building up of wood and a reciprocal action with the 
roots, the bunches merely sharing in the state of affairs (improved 
or otherwise) that may be effected by an extra healthy top and 
root action. I may be wrong, but I cannot help thinking that the 
ounches, after being developed by the aid of stored-up sap and 
moisture ascending from the roots, are largely if not solely sus¬ 
tained subsequently by the crude sap ascending from the roots and 
not that elaborated by the leaves. A strong healthy leaf action, 
therefore, is needed for the indirect and not direct advancement of 
the bunches. Without plenty of strong leaves, free of insect 
pests and mildew, no elaborated sap is available for either enlarging 
the wood tissues or increasing the vigour and activity of the roots, 
this naturally reacting on the crops. 
It has long been the custom to stop the Yine laterals at the 
second joint or leaf beyond the reserved bunch, though occasionally 
this rule is departed from, sometimes in the direction of leaving 
still more leaves, and occasionally the number is reduced, one 
primary leaf only being allowed. That the plan of leaving two 
leaves beyond the bunches at the first stopping answers well there 
is no disputing ; but I like to know the u why and wherefore ” of 
everything, and have experimented with a view to testing the 
practice thoroughly. Of late years, some of our best Grape 
growers have adopted the plan, and recommended others to do the 
same, of leaving more space between the Vines or main rods, the 
distance being nearer 6 feet than 3 feet, as of old ;.but the ques¬ 
tion arises, Are they not going to an unwarrantable extreme, 
valuable roof space being wasted ? I hold that Vines must be very 
strong indeed to require more than a width of 4 feet, and very 
many good Grapes are grown profitably, and well too, on rods still 
closer together. If perfectly satisfactory results attend the 
practice of stopping two joints beyond the bunches, why go to the 
length of reserving three or four leaves ? Instead of the latter 
being an advantage they are a disadvantage, as far as the bunches 
are concerned, always supposing there are sufficient leaves or 
laterals without bunches on the Vine to promote and sustain a 
healthy root action. 
According to my experience it is possible to leave too many 
leaves beyond a bunch, for the simple reason that they do not add 
to the size of either bunch or berries, but rather the contrary. The 
No. 633 .—Vol. XXV., Third Series.; 
115 
leaves would really seem to draw sap away from the bunches rather 
than feed them directly with it, and if I am desirous of having 
berries as large as possible, this is brought about by stopping at 
either the first or second joint beyond the bunch. It is a remark¬ 
able fact, but one which cannot be gainsaid, that equally as large 
bunches and much finer berries can be had by stopping at the joint 
from which the bunch springs than at either the third, fourth, or 
fifth joint beyond. Please do not misunderstand me and jump to 
the conclusion that I am now advocating or even hinting at the 
advisability of stopping laterals generally close up to the bunches 
or at the first leaf beyond ; what I want my readers to do is to 
test for themselves whether anything is gained, or as far as the 
bunches are concerned, whether there may not be a loss in leaving 
too many primary leaves beyond the bunches. 
To a certain extent, and that ©nly, the bunches and berries 
appear capable of helping themselves to the good things going, but 
they cannot hold their own against the leaves, whose functions 
would appear to be more in the direction of laying the foundation 
of future greatness than the direct maturation of present crops. 
Thus, if too few healthy leaves are left on a Vine future prospects 
will be marred, and for reasons already given the present crop 
suffers also. If we either stop very hard or else early shorten, 
back the laterals any time—say when the leaves are still quite 
green—the chances, almost amounting to a certainty, are that the 
bunches produced the following season will be fewer in number 
and mnch smaller than desirable. When the greater part of the 
bunches are cut from a comparatively small Vine early, as they 
sometimes are for the August or September shows, this entailing 
the removal of a considerable portion of lateral, the remaining few 
leaves seem quite incapable of storing up sufficient sap for the 
spurs to produce good sized bunches the following season. I have 
a small Vine of Foster’s Seedling in a second early house that was 
originally intended as a supernumerary, but it has repeatedly done 
such good service that it cannot be dispensed with. Out of seven 
bunches borne on it last year six were cut for exhibition purposes, 
and, at the risk of being considered egotistical, I will add that three 
of them gained the first prize in the any white class other than 
Muscats at the great Shrewsbury Show. From neither of the 
spurs from which exhibition bunches were cut were there good 
“ shows ” this spring ; but in anticipation of this, two of the 
remaining spurs were laid in to their full length, and the others 
only lightly pruned, the result being perfectly satisfactory. 
By this it will be seen that I am quite alive to the value of 
good foliage, the healthy exercise of the functions of the leaves 
being of vital importance in all cases, but there is such a thing as 
overdoing it. A thin canopy of fully developed leaves is absolutely 
needed by all the bunches, whether the varieties are black or white, 
direct exposure to sunshine militating against the colouring of the 
former, and not unfrequently much disfiguring the white varieties. 
Light the bunches must have without stint, and that is one reason, 
probably, why the plan of stopping at two joints, or only one, 
according to the space beyond the bunch, was originally fixed upon, 
laterals crossing each other unduly shading everything underneath. 
Training the rods 4 feet apart meets this difficulty, the laterals on 
these not being too numerous, and stopped two joints beyond the 
bunches or left to a corresponding length where no bunches are 
reserved. 
One other point I want to enlarge upon, and that is the class of 
leaves that may be said to be most generally serviceable. In my 
opinion none but well-placed primary leaves are of any real service, 
and by well placed I mean those that get the full benefit of all the 
light and sunshine possible. In addition to being primary, that is 
to say, some of the first formed, they ought also to be prime or 
developed to their full natural size, being also of correspondingly 
good substance. Late-formed leaves, or any laid in to take the 
place of primary foliage burnt or lost prematurely in some way, 
never really compensate for the latter, and I will go even further, and 
No. 2289.— Vol. LXXXVIi. Old Series. 
