Show METHODS OF GRAPE PRUNING no other tree or vine may bo handled so systematically essential points given by r L M U ia bennington BENNI NOTON so much has deen written on this subject and so many complicated methods set forth that the essential points have been lost sight of and those who cannot follow these methods to the letter just let the vineyard go without tare care proper pruning Is the most important item in grope grape culture and there Is no tree or vine which may be handled so systematically as the grape with fruit trees a great deal has to be left to the judgment of the operator and the condition of the trees not so with the grape for there are certain rules which must be adhered to leaving nothing to guess it is not enough to cut aw away ay half or two thirds of the growth tor for unless you have a proper knowledge of the fruit bearing canes you may cut away the very ones you ought to lot let alone in the first place let us understand that some of the canes will produce fruit buds next nest year while others will only make more wood it is not at all difficult to determine between the two the fruit canes hive have lie he buds close together and these buds are short and plump such canes canca usually come from wood of the previous seasons growth while the long jointed and unfruitful canes come from the older wood let us remember however that these long jointed canes in their turn produce fruit bearing canes next year and one or two bud spurs should be left le ft on them for the vincy ardist must look a year ahead the time for pruning grapevines is any time from the falling of the leaves in the fall till till sap rises in the spring and no matter what kind of trellis you use canopy wire or even a single post for each vine the essentials are the same and these are that two fruitful canes be left on cacti vine three or tour four feet long iong or containing ten or fifteen buds each these buds will produce fruitful vines vinci for next years pruning as it Is a well established fact that canes growing out of these spurs are more apt to be vigorous find and fruitful than those from canes that bore fruit this year it if this has been looked after this year all you will have to do next nest year Is to pick out the canes from these two spurs cut them to the desired length removing all other wood except two spurs of the long jointed wood for the forthcoming year |