82 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
February 2, 
PRUNING GRAPES. 
Part I. 
Errors in Culture.— While this subject 
may be generally well understood in sec¬ 
tions where grapes are extensively grown, 
there are many small growers scattered 
throughout the country, whose ideas with 
regard to any system in pruning are quite 
vague and indefinite, and consequently 
much of the home-grown fruit offered in 
most markets is very inferior. This state 
of affairs is due partly to a lack of obser¬ 
vation, and partly to a common notion 
which at times has been expressed in 
print, that “any method of pruning that 
will admit light and air will insure fruit.” 
While this is true in a sense, and may 
comprise about all the “system” that is 
applicable in pruning isolated vines plant¬ 
ed in odd places for shade and home sup¬ 
ply, it is entirely too indefinite for best 
results in the vineyard. Almost invari¬ 
ably the novice will leave too much bear¬ 
ing wood, unevenly distributed. Some 
time ago, talking with a fruit grower of 
average intelligence, when the conversa¬ 
tion turned to grapes lie said he was much 
discouraged with the crop and did not see 
but that lie would have to dig them up. 
When asked as to the trouble, he replied 
that it was impossible to keep the vines 
from crowding. Examination showed 
that he had followed the practice all too 
common of cutting spurs promiscuously 
with two or three buds each; the next 
season the shoots these buds produced 
were cut to spurs of several buds each 
again, and so on indefinitely in arithme¬ 
tical progression, until the unpruned vines 
were a thicket, and when pruned formed 
a hedge of spurs. When told that the 
vines should be pruned according to some 
definite plan, not comprehending what it 
implied he said: “That is all right when 
the vines are young, but as they become 
older they will get ahead of you,” and he 
was slow to believe that anything practi¬ 
cal could be done in the matter. The 
fact is, if properly pruned the mature 
vine will have practically the same pro¬ 
portions from year to year. 
Systems of Pruning.— Fortunately the 
growth of the grape is so readily man¬ 
aged that if the roots are vigorous the 
neglected or badly pruned vineyard may 
be got into good shape in a.year or two by 
cutting away undesirable parts of each 
vine and encouraging new growth where 
needed, or if the vines are hopelessly de¬ 
formed from neglect, by cutting them 
away entirely close to the ground and 
making a new start with the vigorous 
young shoots that will start from the 
roots. In this remodeling one of the 
first requirements will probably be to 
adapt the trellis to the system of pruning 
to be adopted. For best results this will 
usually, be necessary with any structure 
that had been built just as it happened. 
There are several systems and modifica¬ 
tions of pruning in common use, and all 
have their advocates; but in my opinion 
for the vigorous varieties most commonly 
grown, a modification of the system 
known as the “Kniffcn” is so much su¬ 
perior to all others that I leave their de¬ 
scription to those who think otherwise. 
A proper trellis for this system requires 
but two wires, the first about three feet 
from the ground and the second 2]/ 2 feet 
higher. A vine pruned by the “Kniffcn 
system” in its simplest form consists of 
a permanent upright stock about five feet 
high, with four branches of new wood, 
last season’s growth, cut to the proper 
length, two and two trained in opposite 
directions on each wire. There may be 
those who having always pruned their 
vines according to some other system—or 
lack of system—that left a more substan¬ 
tial appearance, find it hard to believe 
that a vine trimmed to such insignificant 
proportions can possibly produce a full 
crop, and are especially likely to distrust 
the innovation of substituting a few long 
canes for the familiar array of spurs. 
Perhaps a review of the vine’s peculiar 
habits of growth will be helpful here; 
First, all fruit-bearing branches spring 
from buds on last year’s growth. Young 
shoots frequently spring directly from 
older wood, but these never bear fruit. 
The shoots growing from the buds of 
these the following year will be fruitful. 
Second, the number of bearing branches 
then will depend on the number of 
healthy buds on new wood, allowed to re¬ 
main on the pruned vine, and there is 
little difference whether these are fur¬ 
nished on a number of spurs or on a few 
vigorous long canes. Third, in a general 
way the less old pruning scarred wood it 
is necessary to retain the better. Keep¬ 
ing these points in mind and keeping in 
mind the four-branch type of vine I have 
described, let us take up in detail the de¬ 
sirable modifications of the system. 
Starting the Vines. —Now if only the 
young shoots would always grow strong¬ 
est just where we want them, nothing 
better than this simple form could be 
devised. Beginning with the newly set 
plant we would cut it back to two or 
three buds, and allow only one to grow. 
After the first year’s growth we would cut 
this back to a few buds again, and allow 
but one shoot to grow, and being well es¬ 
tablished it should now form a strong 
cane. This at the end of the second sea¬ 
son’s growth would be cut to a length to 
reach the upper wire to which it is to be 
fastened. When growth starts again the 
buds on this cane will produce shoots, 
each probably producing several clusters 
of fruit. In pruning at the end of this 
third season, four of the best of these 
shoots, properly located with respect to 
the wires to which they are to be secured, 
would be selected, all the rest cut off close 
to the main stem, and these four cut to a 
length of three to four and one-half feet, 
according to vigor and distance between 
the vines. The vine has now reached full 
development, so far as form is concerned, 
and future pruning would consist in se¬ 
lecting the first strong shoot, nearest the 
stem on each branch, cutting off the en¬ 
tire branch beyond this, to be replaced by 
this young shoot cut to the proper length ; 
and so on year after year the proportions 
of the vine remaining much the same. 
D. L. HARTMAN. 
AT BARGAIN PRICES 
For spring planting we offer the follow¬ 
ing choice varieties assorted as follows:— 
. 2Yrs. Old In. High 
100 Scotch Pine “ 6 00 
100 White Pine “ 4-6 1.00 
100 Norway Spruce “ 4-6 100 
100 White Spruce “ 4-6 1.00 
100 Ponderosa Pine “ 4-6 1.00 
100 Amer. Arbor Vitae “ 4-6 1.00 
Bargain price $1.00 per 100 or in 600 lots $5.00 
prepaid. These trees are suitable for 
' nd-‘ 
D. HILL, Evergreen Specialist, Dundee, Ill. 
850,000 
GRAPE VINES 
69 Varieties. AIho Small Fruits, Tree*, Ac. Best root¬ 
ed stock. Genuine, cheap. 2 sample vineB mailed for 10c. 
Descriptive price-list free. LEWIS R0ESCH, FREDOHIA.M.I. 
The Best Strawberries 
grow from Farmer's plants. Introducer of 
‘•Oswego” strawberry and “Plum Farmer” 
raspberry. Fruit plants, all kinds. Cataloi 
raspnerry. r ruit plants, all kinds. Catalog 
free. L. J. Farmer, Box 720,Pulaski, N. Y. 
Save Money on Fruit Plants 
Strawberry Plants, $1.75 to $3 Per M. 
Raspberry, Blackberry, Etc., Etc. 
Seed Potatoes, $2.50 to $3 Per bbl. 
Satisfaction Guaranteed. Catalogue Free. 
BALDWIN, 
Bridgman, Michigan. 
O. A. E. 
Oak Street, 
Strawberry Plants. 
We have been growing and selling Strawberry 
Plants in this town for thirty-five years. We have 
learned how to do it. Our stock is larger than ever 
before. We have trained help, good shipping facili¬ 
ties, and a disposition to serve you well. We ask the 
opportunity, and guarantee our plants to reach you 
in good condition, either by mail or express. If we 
have a single customer anywhere who paid us for 
plants and failed to get a fair deal at any time, we 
want to hear of it. A postal will bring you our 
catalog about February 1st. It contains a reliable 
account of about fifty varieties. We also sell 
BLACKBERRY and CURRANT PLANTS, and 
Choice GLADIOLUS BULBS. 
M. CRAWFORD CO., 
Box 1005 Cuyahoga Falls, Ohioi 
STRAWBERRIES 
lo.ooo. strawberries 
quarts of ou awuernes acre/W. 
Send for Catalog. Kevitt Plant Farm, Athenia, N. J. 
?>-. • 
* ' big, red and luscious 
are grown from 
ALLEN’S choice 
vigorous strawberry 
plants. None better.* 
lood Luck, Chesa- 
tiVilirx peake, Virginia and 
| Cardinal, new Glen l- 
•Mary, Haverland, . 
Dunlap, Marshall, 
Klondyke, Gandy, 
"Bubaek, Climax, and all 
•'best standard sorts, 90 varieties. 
r Priees right. DEWBERRIES, f 
Austins, Lucretia, and Premo. I have big 
stock and they are fine. Also Raspberry, Cur¬ 
rant and Gooseberry plants, and Grape 
vines. In SEEDS I have the leading varie¬ 
ties for field ami garden. My 1907 supply of 
Peas, Beaus, Watermelon, Cantaloupe, and 
Cucumber seeds la very choice. Millions 
of vegetable plants in season. My 60 page 
I Catalogue for 1907 tells about lots of good 
I things for the farm and garden and where to 
Igetthem. IT'S FREE. Bend name and ad¬ 
dress on postal to-day to 
W. F. ALLEN, 
.Dopl, 17, Salisbury. Maryland 
558! 
fa 
AT WHAT PRICE. 
Those of our readers who wish to know 
the cost of strictly first-class, hardy, 
healthy fruit trees, should send to Call’s 
Nurseries, Perry, O., for price list. Call 
enjoys the well-earned reputation of 
sending - his customers the finest fruit 
trees that are grown. He deals direct 
with the fruit growers, and guarantees 
satisfaction. New price-list now ready. 
NUT TREES 
California Privet, Peach, Pear and Apple Trees 
and all other kinds of Trees and Plants. 
Catalogue Free. 
JOS. H. BLACK, SON & CO., 
Hightstown, New Jersey. 
APPLE TREES, 
Nothing But Apple Trees. 
The Safest and BEST Apple 
Trees in the World. 
We offer nearly 100,000 thrifty one and 
two year old apple tree*, all bred from 
selected bearing parents. Every tree 
our own growing. 
ROGERS ON THE HULL, 
Apple Breeders, Dansville, N. Y 
Peach Trees 
.. gr 
the bank of Lake Erie; two 
miles from nny peach orchard, 
free of borers and all diseases. 
Largo stock of Apple, Peach, 
Pear, l’lum, Cherry, Ktc. 
Headquarters for UK.NA- 
MENTAL TREES, Shrubs, 
Roses, Plants, Vines, Bulbs, 
Heeds. Over 50 acres of 
Ilardy Boses, none better 
f irown. 44 greenhouses of Everblooming Boses, 
’alms. Ferns, Ficus, Geraniums, Etc. Mail size 
I iostpaid, sufe arrival and satisfaction guaranteed, 
arger by express or freight. Direct deal will Insure 
you the best and save you money. Try It. Valuable 
168-page Catalogue FREE. Correspondence solicited. 
68 years, J200 acres. 
THE STORRS & HARRISON CO.. 
BOX 458, PAINESVILLE, OHIO. 
TREES THAT GROW! 
1 offor a fine line of the leading varieties of Apple, 
Pear, Peach, Plum and Cherry trees for Spring 
planting. All my stock is true to name, healthy and 
free from scale. Prices are low, quality considered. 
Have had 40 yi>urs actual experience in growing fruit 
trees and can furnish the best. Wholesale prices on 
large orders. Write me before placing your order. 
AiUlrc“s H. F. KEAN, Nurseryman and 
Orcliardist, Stanley, New York. 
FRUIT TREES 
& SMALL FRUITS 
Highest grade., 
$1.50 per 100 op 
__FREIGHT 1 PAID 
Illustrated catalogue free. Send for one to-day. 
1I1GULAND NURSERIES, BOC11E8TEB, N. Y. 
TpCCC York State grown. We offer this famous 
I IILt,u stock at low prices. Send for free Cata¬ 
log. ROCHESTER NURSERY CO., Rochester, N. Y. 
To | 
prove they are 
healthy and vigorous we’ll 
send Four Trees 3 yrs. old free to 
property owners. Mailing ex- | 
pense 5c. A postal will brinfi 
them and our catalog with 6i 
' colored plates. Write today. | 
THE GARDNER NURSERY CO., | 
Box 816, Osage, Iowa. 
APPLE 
Harrison grown Baldwins 
will give a lifetime’s profit. 
Large, choice stock ready 
for digging. Also nearly a 
million trees of Wagener 
Jonathan, Stayman, Win¬ 
ter Banana, York Imperial, Yellow 
Transparent and other good kinds. Over 100 
varieties, strong rooted, healthy, shapely. 
PEACH 
RAY, a great favorite, but 
every good kind, including, 
Crawford, Elberta, 
Chairs, etc. Suberb 
stock for the best 
peach tree region in the world. 
Plum, Pear & Cherry Trees 
Grapes, Asparagus, Strawberries. All home 
grown, Harrison stock. Nothing superior. 
Write today for our 1907 catalog. 
HARRISON’S NURSERIES, 
Box 29, Berlin. Maryland. 
FREE 
BOOK 
FOR 
YOU 
YOU 
NEED 
THIS BOOK^fflj^ IT TO-DAY 
rpHE BEST BOOK ON STRAWBERRY 
A CULTURE over Written, becauso it explains every 
detail of the work from the time plants are set out until 
the berries are picked, and tells how to prepare the plants 
for a big second crop. 1 25 Pictures of strawberries 
and strawberry fields. This book is worth its weight in 
gold. If we knew your address, would mall you one free. 
R. M. KELLOGG COMPANY, Box, 480 Three Rivers, Mich. 
Lknow apples 
chards. ConsequenUy I 
know what varieties are 
best adapted to your soil 
and climate. My stock in¬ 
cludes all the money-mak¬ 
ers—fancy and common va¬ 
rieties. They are we 11- 
grown, carefully packed, 
lly guaranteed. I pay freight. 
' fri 
_ — ly guaranteed. I pay 
Jree catalog of ornamental and fruit 
'trees, shruhs.ete. C.A.Maxson, Mgr.Michigan 
" —Kalamazoo, Mich. 
Nursery & Orchard Co,. 
ftRICC CCCn Seed Oats and Seed Corn, All 
UllAJO OCCU kinds of Clover, Timothy, Blue 
Grass, Red Top, Orchard Grass and Oil ileal, old 
process, Pricesand samples on application. 
U. J. COVER, Mt. Gilead, Ohio. 
Bargains in Surplus at 10 cts. each. 
All first-class. Fresh dug. No cold 
storage. 38th year. 80 page catalog. G. C. STONE’S 
Wholesale Nurseries, Dansville, New York. 
STRAWBERRY 
Blackberry and 
Raspberry Plants 
Extra heavy-rooted, high-grade stock, true to name. 
Write us what you will need for spring planting. We 
will quote you special prices by return mail. A. R. 
WeSTON & CO., R. I>. 8, Bridgman, Mich. 
cARFfii ss?.is mu 
will send free 3 splendid Blackberry 
plants post-paid to introduce and 
prove my stock the finest grown. 
Many of my customers realize 
$300 PROFIT PER ACRE 
My handiomo, new oftUlog of email fruits, fruit 
and ornamental trees, farm and garden seeds and 
'general nursery stook sent free. Get it—wrlto to-daj. 
VV. N. Scarff, New Carlisle, O^ 
STRAWBERRY PLANTS 
at $1.00 i>er 1,000 and up. Catalogue free. 
R. E. ALLEN, Paw Paw, Mich. 
60 Varieties Strawberry Plants 
to-day for 1907 catalog. A full line of small fruit 
plants. H. W. HENRY, La Porte, Indiana 
S TRAWBERRY PLANTS, forty of the best 
varieties:prices reasonable. Write for catalog, it 
is free. J. K. LOSEE,Eluora, Sara toga Co., N. Y. 
D EWBERRY PLANTS and Ward Blackberry 
Plants and Sweet Potato Seed for sale: semi for 
price. MICHAEL N. BOKGO, Vineland. N. J. 
“STRAWBERRY PLANTS THAT GROW.” 
Best varieties, also Raspberry, 
_ _ __ _ Blackberry, Gooseberry, Cur¬ 
rant and Grape Plants, Asparagus Roots and Seed Potatoes in assortment. All stock Warranted 
“True to Name” and of grade represented. Descriptive Catalog wUh Cultural Instructions Free 
to all who ask for it. 
E. WHITTEN, Box 11, Bridgman, Mich. 
ASPARAGUS 
Six varities of Healthy, Thrifty, one and two 
year old Roots. Also a full line of Trees, Plants, 
Vines, California Privet, Garden Tools, Spray 
Pumps and Mixtures. Write for catalog ana 
valuable Spraying Chart. It’s free. 
Arthur J. Collins. Box K, Moorestown, N. J. 
OUR TREES BEAR FRUIT 
They Represent Pennsylvania’s Best. Special Fine Stock tor Spring 
Early orders solicited, Largest and most complete line of Trees, Vines and Plants 
in Western Penna. Highest indorsement by State Department of Agriculture. 
Special Premium List for our customers this spring. Write for Fine Illustrated 
Catalogue and Price List. THE RIVERSIDE NURSERY CO., Confluence, Penna. 
