The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1859-11-04
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Prime Crane Vines.

Tins Is the best month of the year for pru-~
hing the grape. 1t can not we'll be done in
winter at the north, because the vines are, for
ooght to bel laId on the ground and tucked Up
for The season. Neither can it we'll be done :n
/ the Spring, because the sap begins to fow verv
early, and profuse bleeding would ensue. II
Gone early IN November, the wounds become
| healed before Winter, and the buds left on the
canes gather up good supply OF elaborated sap
for next yaar's ose. 1t is also pleasant time
TO work, and The pruning will more likely be
we'll done, than would amid the storms and
banambing trosis of Winte-.
]. Is your vine young ona, and do YOU
propose TO try the "Frenrwal" method Then If
1t has two stout canes, SIX Or eight feet long,
cut each Of them oft 10 about four feet, and tie
them down to the lower bar Of your treIlis
One or two buds on each cane may be allowed
to throw up branches next year, and the buds
on each end may send off branches for extern
ding the horizontal cane at the base.
Or, possibly, your vine is Eve or six years
old, has This year borne fruit on several upright
branches, and has meanwhile sent up as many
more New shoots between the old. Then, all
you will have to do this Fall, is 10 cut off those
bearing branches down TO the horizontal canes
those branches you will undoubtedly find sew
eEal plump buds which will throw up new
branches next year, 10 fill the places of those
cut of. The branches of the present years
growth NAV now, if stout aud healthy, be cut
off at the top Of the trellis, if weak, considerably
below that. The branches which pushed out
from buds at the ends of the horizontal canes
may now be shortened back, leaving two or
three new buds of the new wood, end then tied
down 10 ;he lower bar.
2. Some persons prefer the spur-metaod Of
pruning; and perhaps our present reader does.
If so, possibly you have young vIEe. All
you will have 10 do th3 Fall, is TO shorten the
canes about one halftheir length, and cut of any
lateral branches that may have shot out from them
Or the vine may be several years old, and
may have been trained Systematically. Then,
your work now is to cut out any thin watery
shoots that may have sprung up between the
bearing branches, ro5bing them of their strength
and shading the fruit. The bearing canes
should always de kept two feet apart, to allow
room for the side-spurs to shoot out and mature
their fruit without being overrun with super
fuous wood. Finish your work, now, by cut
ting back the spurs on the upright canes to one
or TWO buds. These buds will bear fruit next
year, il properly cared for.
Or your vine may have taken an irregular
shape. You must then, as before, simply cut
out all weak, succuIent shoots which have
sprung up from the root or sides OF the stock,
and thin out the canes all over the trelis, so as
10 leave them evenly distributed over ITS surface,
about two feet asunder. Shorten in also the
spurs on the sides OF the old wood to one or
two buds. If here and there an old cane has
lost lis buds, it should be cot clean out, and
young and healthy one trained up m its place.
For partially tender vines like the Diana, this
last method OF training, though less pleasing TO
gardeners eye, Is, on some accounts, prefer
able to the other, because the canes can be
more easily bent TO the groand in the Fall for
Winter protection.
Pruning having now been accomplished, all
The vines may be unAed from the trellis and
la id upon the ground. Be careful, while doing
this, not to break off the buds. If in very
CO Id region, it may be we'll TO remove the soil
lew inches, fasten down the canes with stakes,
and throw on few inches deep of soil.--.fRey-
ican .7gricuiiuylsf.