The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-01-04
NORTgGUETCRAL AND PSslOs.N.
sICAE SOCIETY.
PRUNING OF GRAPE.VINTS.
Essay by DIR. s. T.. Moore.
INTERESTING INFORMATION TO CRAZE
AND WINE GROWERS,

ming oi .,."ne vines, DR.. 5. L. Moore read
an "d;HirN 10 essay on the subject. lie
commenced by stating that the grape
succeeds hest between the 3Oth and 5otI
degrees moth and south ATTITUDES. 1t
nttains its greatest perfection in latitude SO
degrees north, though it does we'll as far
north as 30 degrees in Europe and as far
south Is 81 degrees 50 minutes at Good
Hope. Il succeeds as well. or better, in our
climate and OH our soils Us anywhere on
the fac" 81 he globe; still, as its culture Is
courarativtly new with US, it will be nc
ceSsary 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 &C.
lee, durable wood, and put the posts in the
gruund with the email end downward, as
they will last much longer in this position.
Ii is we'll also to CHAR" the end that is
put in the soil.
In this climate pruning should be done
in November or December, as in our mild
climate the SAP begins to ascend early IN
the spring-in fact, often during the late
winter months--alter which "bleeding
! or running of the sap follows pruning.
| Plants that are but one year old from the
cuttings must lie cut down to one or two
good buds eacn, according to their strength,
always about Oh, inch above the bud, in q
slopiug manner, and on the opposite side
thereto: observing that the lowest bud next
to the old wool j. not to be reckoned among
the good ones. Such OF these young plants
-, 10, do frs
season must y. ,,virlycI Of all as close ~
possible to the OLD wool, except the strong
CT and best placc'i, which plune as aborc
directed, aud cat oil such part OF the old
wood close tothi, shoot as appears above it,
III order that the bark may grow over it
and the stem become whole and sound.
| Two-year old p!tn'@ are 10 be t.eatcd in
n similar manner, except that two good
buds may be left t. each, in order to form
~ many strong shoots for the next season
Thrcc-yesr old plants must be headed
! down to two good buds, leaving rot more
t!,an two shoots to each plant, which will
| produce four Tor the next season, and those
q! the plants which are healthy will yield
! fruit tiat year.
The fourth year Of a plant, leave three
cf the best shoots, heading them down 10
good buds each and be careful TO cut of
, the extra branches close to where they
were produced, and in like manner any dc
caycd wool, "a well Is TIE spurs or stumps
caused by last YEAR pruning, in order that
Ill the parts may become covered with
I bark and the stock continued in health and
vigof.
According az the vines increase in arc
! and strength, you may leave from 1our 10
| eight shoots on Il plant, iii proportion 10 its
strength. each headed down from TWO to
| Soar, or five, good buds, always leaving the
greatest numucr Of buds Oh the most vigor-
Gus shoots.
| Wien !. vine Is Very strong and we'll
! furnished, you may head one or two of tho
| best shoots at the height 81 three Or four
| feet. which will bear an abundance Of
! fruit, but The others must be headed down
! 10 two or three buds each, III order THAI
| they may produce good wood for the ensuing
! vcar's bearing, ana not too much fruit. for
| those which we're headed 80 high must be
| ciicctu&ily cut out close 70 where they were
produced in the next pruning.
When the pruning is finished, each plant
should have firm stake TO support the
Young Shoots when produced, and it il he
very vigorous, with many shoots, q second
stake will lie of advantage.
Some cultiyators Of tic vino may think
that eight shoots are too few for g full
grown Vine, but eight shoots So pruued
Iuav produce twcnt y-fcur, and each Of
,thesc bear three punches OF grapes, making
seycnty-two. It must be remembered the
oyerbcaring Of vines, especially when
young, and, indeed, at any time, Injuries
them very materially.
l. is to be recollectca that the young
shoots Of last summers growth are the only
bearing wooi-that is, they produce new
shoots wlick bear fruit the same season.
and to obtain a regular supply OF grapes,
! YOU must manage your plants so rs to have
an annual succession Of new wood, which
cannot he expected if the vines are suffered
to ovcrbear. 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
I from the old stock or branches. These
seldom produce fruit. Such should be
rubbed Off except in places where supply
al new wood, Or shoots for next years bear
| ing, arc wanted, III which case Il suitable
number should be carefully preserved. The
operation of rubbing is performed with the
finger and thumb, nippiDg or rubbing of
clvsc 10 where they arc produced.
| Where two shoots arise from one bud,
take the weaker away the remaining one
will grow stronger, and produce fruit IN
roIortion.
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 hoop, and
made fast 10 it. by this method it will
bear more fruit and produce less wood than
if 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
III May, and produce, besides the useful
shoots, many that are unnecessary. These
must be carefully cleared away, az already
directed, fer, If left on, they impoyerish
the plant. But in doing this you must be
careful not to break oh such fruiting or
shoots as are neccssGrY, ivr at this time
| they are easily injured. Do not trouble
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
NAV be used, for although these plants
bleed copiously in the spring when destitute
Of leaves, afterwards the cXbalation by tho
foliage is so great that the absorbent roots
do not supply fluid as fast a. it could be
expended on the growth Of the plant.