OCR Text |
Show f Ami NEGLECTED GRAPES WILL NOT PRODUCE Annual pruning of grape vines Is es-tential es-tential if profitable crops are to be produced, says J. II. Clark of the New Jersey agricultural experiment station. sta-tion. Even one year of neglect will .cause the clusters to be small and irregular, ir-regular, while the canes will be weak and unable to produce a satisfactory crop the next year. It is advisable to prune before growth starts. The single-stem four-arm Knlffen type of vine has proved to be more productive and easier to handle than others, such as the fan and spur renewal re-newal types. The Kniffen trellis consists con-sists of two wires, one 5M to 6 feet from the ground, the other 00 inches below it, supported by posts set 15 to 20 feet apart. The trunk, extending from the ground to the top wire, is retained as loDg as it is healthy and vigorous. Four healthy, vigorous canes, preferably prefer-ably from 6 to 0 feet in leng'.h should be selected as near to the trunk as possible and located so that one may be trained In each direction on each wire. These canes should be pruned so that each will carry from 6 to 12 buds, depending on the vigor of the vine. Vigorous vines may be pruned to as many as 50 buds, but weaker vines should carry less. A two-bud spar (that is, a cane cut off Just beyond the second bud) is usually usu-ally left near the base of each cane to provide a renewal cane for the following fol-lowing year. These spurs should be attached to the old trunk, or as near as possible to it. All canes excepting the four renewal canes and the four spurs are removed entirely. It is advisable to leave only as much old wood as is absolutely necessary to hold up the producing canes. The trunk should be firmly tied to both wires, and each cane should be tied to the wire in at least two places to prevent its being broken off by the weight of fruit produced. Binder twine is commonly used for tying. |