The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-01-04
EORTICIrTCRAL AND r0Noa.N-
CTCAL SOCIETY.
PRUNING OF GRApE.VINTS.
Essay by Dr. y. II. Moore.
INTERESTING INFORMATION TO CRAZE
AND WINE GROWERS.

wing Of ..soc vines, DR.. $. Z. Moore read
an admirable essay on the subj Get. He
commenced by stating that the grape
succeeds hest between the 3Oth and 5DtL
degrees moth and south latitudes. 1t
degrees norsh, though it does we'll as far
north as 80 degrees in Europe and as far
south as 81 degrees so minutes at Good
Hope. II succeeds rs well, or better, in our
climate aud on our soils as anywhere on
{ lie FAC" of he globe; still, as its culture is
" new with US, it will be ne
ccssary for our people TO experiment with
regard to varieties, &c.
All plants accommodate themselves with
great facility to changes of soil and climate,
and none more readily than the grape.
In preparing posts or poles for vines se-
lclt durable wood, and put the posts in the
ground with the email end downward, as
thcy will last much longer in this position.
Il is well also TO "char" the end that Is
put IN the soil.
Ia this climate pruning should be done
in November OF December, as in our mild
climate the SAP hcgins 10 ascend early in
the spring-in fact, often during the late
winter months-aiter which " bleeding "
or running of the sap follows pruning.
Plants that are but one year old from the
cuttings must hc cut down to one or two
good buds eacn, according to their strength.
alwavs about on, inch above the bud, in u
slopiug manner, ani On the opposite side
thereto: observing that the lowest bud next
10 the old wool i not to he reckoned among
the good ones. :Suchot these young plants
as have made mgr" than one shoot the first
season must v. Gc;r,ycG! Of all as close AZ
POSSIBLE TO the ui, wool, except the strong
crt and best plNc"'t, which prune as aborc
directed, aud cat oil such part OF the old
wood close tothis'shooi as appears above il,
III order that the bark may grow over it
and the stem become whole and sound.
Two-ycar old plans urc TO be t.catca in
q similar manner, except that two coed
buds may be left t. cacu, in order to form
rs many strong shoots for the next season.
Thrce-year old plants must be headed
down to two good buds, leaving rot more
taan two shoots to each plant, which will
produce four Tor the next season, and those
ot the plants which are healthy will yield
fruit that year.
The fourth year Of plant, leave three
IF the best shoots, heading item down 10
good buds each, ana bG careful TO cut of
the extra branches close 20 where they
we're produced, and in like manner any de-
cNycd wood, ~ well Is tie spurs Or stumps
caused by last years pruning, III order that
Eli the parts may become covered with
bark and the stock continued IN health and
Nigor.
According az tie vines increase in age
and strength, vU,i may leave from four 10
eight shoots on Il rlant, in proportion to its
strength, each headed down from two to
four, or five, good buds, always leaving the
grcatcst number Of buds oil the mos; vigor-
vuS shoots.
When u vine is vcrv strong and we'll
furnished. You may head one or two Of the
host shoots at the height ot three Or four
feet, which will bear an abundance Of
irlit, but the others laust be headed down
to Two or three buds each, in order that
thev NAV produce good wood for the ensuing
vcar;s bearing, and not too much fruit: for
ttosc which were headed so high must be
ciIcctUGllv cut out close to where they we're
produced in the next pruning.
When the pruning is finished, each plant
should have firm stake 10 support the
young Shoots when produced, and il it be
very vigorous, with many shoots, Il second
stake will lie of advantage.
Some cultivat0rs Of tic vine may think
that eight shoots arc too few for full
grown Vine, but eight shoots sc pruned
Iuav produce tweMy -four, and each Of
these bear three bunchcs of grapes, making
scycnty-.wo. 1t must be remembered the
overhcaring Of vines. especially when
youlst, and, indeed, AZ any time, Injuries
them very materially.
Il is to be recolIected that the young
shoots Of last summers growth are the only
bearing wooi-;hat is, they produce new
shoots which bear fruit the same season,
and to obtain Il regular supply OF grapes,
YOU must manage your plants so as TO havo
an annual succession Of new wood, which
cannot be expected If the vines are suffered
to oycrbear. In the spring such young
shoots, or prominent buds as appear USE
less, or promise 10 be injurious to those in
tended for bearing fruit, are to be dis
placed. Small. weak shoots, generally arise
from the cid stock or branches. These
ecliom produce fruit. Such should be
rubbed OFF, except in places where supply
Of new wood, or shoots for next years bear
ing, arc wanted, in which case suitable
number should he carefully preserved. The
operation of rubbing is performed with the
finger and thumb, nipping or rubbing off
clU.c 10 wlere they arc produced.
Where two shoots arise from one bud,
take the weaker away; the remaining one
will grow stronger, and produce fruit III
proL L0rtiou.
Any very long shoots of last year leftupon
strong and established stocks for fruiting
more abundantly may, when the sap has
arisen and the shoots become plant, be
bent around the stake like n hoop, and
made fast to it. BY this method it will
bear more fruit and produce less wood than
# left in the ordinary way. In bending
The shoot be careful not to crack the bark,
lest i should bleed or become abortive.
The vines will begin to shoot vigorously
il May. and produce, besides the useful
shoots, many that are unnecessary. These
must be carefully cleared away, as already
directed, for, if left on, they impoyerish
the plant. But in doing this you must be
careful! not to break off such fruiting OF
shoots as are necessary, for at this time
they are easily injured. 10 nOt trotlple
the blossom buds, which will be quite
prominent early in this month. Suckers
from the roots, Or shoots from the under
part Of the stem, are to be taken off. This
part of the work, if attended to in due
time, can be done by the rubbing process
but when this will not answer, the knife
may he used, for although these plants
bleed coniously in the spring when destitute
Of leaves, afterwards the cxbalation by the
foliage is so great that the absorbent roots
do not supply fluid as fast as it could be
expended on the growth Of the plant.
All shoots that have fruit, and others