The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1871-07-13
Correspondence
DE- e. in e. Go.
80. VI.

tlcles on this subject We nave /
brought the treatment Of the grape |
vines down to the close OF the Sc
cond year after planting. The vines |
have this year made bearing wood |
for the next, and the winter prun-
ing must now be done having re-
ference to the fact that 4 fine crop
Of fruit WILDE produced the next
wear. a considerable difference of
opinion prevails among vine grow
ers as to the proper time for win
ter pruningg some urge the per-
Torrance Of this operation just be-
fore the sap starts in the springs
others advise it to be done in the
fall after the wood has fully ripened
while others recommend that it be
performed during any fine weather
through the winter. All however,
agree that it should no. be done when
the wood is frozen. We have p.un-
ed at all times, when the weather
was good, from November to the
first of March, without discovering
any material difference in the
growth orvigOr Of the vines. This
operation requires some tact and
judgment inasmuch as the amount
of bearing wood to be left depends
upon the strength and vigor of the
canes. For instance, if a cane is
& or ! inch in diameter it can be
cut back to from 6 to 8 feet, while
if it is a weak cane it should be
cut back to about 8 feet.
Our first operation in winter
pruning is to loosen the vines from
the stakes by cutting the ties,and the
strongest of the two canes back as
above mentioned, to produce fruit
the next season; cutting off at the
same time close to the body Of the
cane all the Iatterals or side shoots.
The other cane is cut back to or
i eyes or buds, and if there are any
other shoots remaining cut them off
close to the stock. The object in
cutting back the last named cane to
or 1 eyes. is to produce bearing
wood for the next season. These
canes remain in this condition with
out being fastened to the stakes
until the buds commence to expand.
Immediately after the top buds
have swelled we tie the vines to the
stakes in the form of bow. The
object of this bow is to cause the
buds to break evenly along the en-
tire cane, by equalizing the flow Of
the sap. It will very soon be dis
covered that the topmost eyes or
buds, having started earlier than
the others and receiving the great
est flow of sap. will be taking the
lead at the expense of the others.
This should not be allowed but
counteracted by early pinching off
their points, always leaving one or
two leaves beyond the last bunch of
grape buds or seeds. 1t the same
time the shoots from the spur will
be growing vigorously, all of which
should be removed except two or
three, according to the vigor of the
vine; these shoots should be kept
tied up as they grow and should
never be pinched or stopped but
suffered to grow the entire season
to produce fruit the next year.
We confine the pinching exclu-
sively to the bearing branches,
which is done as soon as the grape
punches or buttons can be plainly
seen, which is when the shoot is
about 6 or s inches long. If any
of the buttons or punches are not
sufficiently developed at the first
pinching, we pass them and 90 over
the vines again in few days. The
object Of this early pinching is to
throw ali the vigor into the develop
ment Of the young lunches and the
leaves remaining on the shoot. No
one should neglect attending to this
impol can't element of summer prun-
ing, for by such neglect the strength
of the vine will 9lave been uselessly
expended or lost by not having been
properly directed. We give the
vines two pi2chings, the last Of
which is performed on the latte rails,
they having pushed forward vigo-
rously since the first pinching. No
more pruning is done this season
and no more work except to tie up
any vines that may have fallen down
and to keep the vineyard free from
weeds, by means of the pillow and
hoe, until the gathering of the
grapes. The subsequent cultiya-
ton and pruning of the vines is the
same as that already given in these
articles with the exception that af-
ter the third year'we leave two canes
I to bear fruit instead of one.
Now. Mr.. Editor, ! think / viii
close this series of articles on grape
growing, and especially invite suery
body TO visit our vineyards and
fruit farm, and look at our present
crop Of grapes and vines. We have
fruited the varieties now growing
in the vineyards for three years in