1 Ocr., 1902.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 263 
SUMMER PRUNING OF THE VINE. 
By E. H. RAINFORD, Viticulturist. 
This important subject has been dealt with twice previously in the dgricul- 
tural Journal, and its general objects and principles fully explained (see 
Journals for October, 1899 and 1900). In returning to this subject again, the 
writer has no intention of simply recapitulating the information and advice 
given in those former articles, but, instead, desires to point out how it should 
be applied to vines that have been pruned on the systems illustrated in the 
article on pruning in the June number of the Agricultural Journal. As has 
been explained before, a definite system of disbudding and pinching, &c., is a 
corollary to a given system of pruning; the two must work together to produce 
a vine of correct shape and sustained cropping power. 
To follow the instructions given in this article, readers must turn to the 
plates of the article on pruning for June. 
Bush. System.—In Vigs. 2 and 3, all buds and shoots should be removed as 
they appear from anywhere below the scar left by the secateurs seen in the 
illustration, or two-thirds the way up the stock. Suckers must be carefully 
cut away close to the stock, no matter how deep under the ground, and not 
simply broken off at or near the surface; if the latter is done, fresh suckers 
will appear next year. Of the shoots that appear above the point mentioned, 
three or four of the best placed should be left, choosing by preference those 
that start at about the same level on the stoek, which will be the future crown 
of the vine. Carefully tie up the shoots, when long enough, to avoid breakage 
by wind, and only top them when their length inclines them to get in the way 
of cultivation operations. When the vine has the shape of Figs. 5 and 7, 
remove as before all shoots and suckers below the crown (in Fig. 6 a sucker is 
seen that was overlooked), and in addition to the shoots on the spurs allow 
two or three well-placed shoots to remain to form new spurs next season, and 
so On. 
Unilateral System.—Of the shoots thrown out by Fig. 2 in the spring, 
disbud all but two; or, if the vine is vigorous, three. ‘hese may be anywhere 
on the stock so long as they are upright or incline a little in the direction where 
they are to be tied down, as at A in Fig. 8. Any shoots inclining the reverse 
way must be suppressed so as to throw the vigour of the vine into the correctly 
placed shoots. When the vine has the shape of Fig. 9, all shoots from A 
to the ground should be suppressed as they appear, and also all suckers ; from 
A. to the point of the vine, all shoots from buds underneath the cane must be 
removed, except in two cases—Ist, when the cordon has not avtained its full 
length, the Zast bottum eye must be allowed to shoot to make a cane for pro- 
longing the cordon next winter; 2nd, if the vine has only been laid down half 
its length and is strong, some under-eyes may be allowed to bear fruit for the 
first year. Generally, it is well, in these two cases, to allow the last two bottom 
eyes to grow, for, if the last shoot be injured, there will be another to take its 
place, but when this happens the upper shoot between the two must be at once 
suppressed. When the cane that has been laid down has the eyes placed side- 
ways instead ot above and below, the extra shoots may be removed alternately 
oneitherside. When the vine is as in Fig. 11, the same precautions must be taken 
to remove all shoots behind the first spur and allow only those which are growing 
from the eyes on the spurs, except when a blank space on the stock has to be filled 
up. It will happen, for the first two years, that the eyes and spurs at the end 
of the cordon in Figs. 9 and 11 will break first, and, if allowed to get away too 
much, will rob the other eyes and spurs, which would make poor growth or 
even remain dormant. This is prevented by pinching those shoots two leaves 
above the flower clusters, and, later on, pinching back all the laterals, except 
the top one; the check given to these shoots will enable the others to catch 
them up—the aim of the vigneron must be to make all his vegetation grow as 
equally as possible. If, however, the last shoot is growing from a bottom eye, 
