Show Pruning Necessary for Tender Grade Varieties Pruning Is necessary for tender grape varieties such as Concord and Brighton which need to be laid down own and covered with dirt to avoid winter killing The removal of ot excess wood makes covering easier Fall pruning Is la also re recommended for the hardy varieties Vines In n their first season are usually ally cut back back- to one or or two buds This may be repeated the second year particularly If It the vines are weak Developing the permanent training s system stem for the vine Is started with vigorous vines Ines in the second season season season sea sea- son and In all other cases in the third year The s system stem selected at nt first should be continued without change Changing the system will vilI reduce the crop The fan tan system Is common and andas easy as to follow Five vigorous canes are selected each fall and pruned to eight or ten buds each All other ether growth Is removed With hardy varieties va 1 va- va the selected canes may be tied at once to the trellis spi spreadIng ending the canes like the ribs of a fan Tender varieties are tied up in the spring after the dirt covering has been off orr for three or four tour days The he horizontal trunk system I- I is also common and Is Is very very easy to to handie handle han han han- dle die for tor winter protection One stron strong cane can cam Is left In the second or third year and tied ired hor horIzontally on a wire about 12 t to 18 Inches from the ground The File following year the lateral shoots from this cane are cut back to spurs eight to twelve Inches long iong mid and the shoot hoot at the end of the cane Is used to extend the horizontal trunk to a total otal length of eight or ten feet After the trunk Is developed the lateral growth growth Is cut b brick back to spurs spurn each tall fall W. W. W G. G Brierley as associate professor of horticulture University of Minne sota |