The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1872-03-23
Chr farmer.
Pruning Grape Vines


Climate aud soil exert marked &c.
feet upon the growth aud bearing
qualities of the vine, and grape growers
must adapt their methods OF treatment
aud training to suit soil aud climate ID
different localities. Il would be wasting
time add thTowing money aEay Cor
grape grower east Of the Rocky Noun
lains to train vines IN the same way
that is common among the yiHe dressers
on the Pacific slope There, large crops
of the best quality Of grapes are anuu
ally produced BY a method Of training
that neither requires posts nor wire
trellis 10 fact the young shoots are
allowed to sprawl on tho ground IN
every direction without hindrance, aud
still such IS the effect Of soil and climate
that even with this apparent careless
training. young vines eight years old,
will yield from l0t IA pounds Of well
ripened grapes TO the viue. Again, 10
California cutting is made aud at
once put 10 place in the vineyard, while
here in the Eastern States The cutting
must first be rooted in the nursery row,
and then transplauted when one or two
years old In permanent place. These
different methods are praetised in every
section Of our country where grapes are
grown to any considerable extent, and
asarule experience dictates 70 the OBJ
serving cultivator the methods best
adapted to the locality. The German
and French methods Of close planting
and summer pruning we're extensively
practised in our early experience Of
grape growing 10 this country. Time
aud results now fully demonstrate that
our native varieties Of grapes should be
planted for vineyard c1ltnre at wider
distances than exc or sxs to give the
best results, and also that close summer
pruning, such IS removing all the foil
age from two or three eyes beyond the
last bunch Of fruit, on each shoot, an
swcrs but poorly in ripcning the fruit /;
a more liberal allowance Of leaves will
not only color; but mature the crop
earlier ia the season aud more uniformly
than the scanty allowance some vine
dressers are in the habit Of leaving on
IL yiaess The vine slwiss bears Is
fruit on the new wood, and, therefore,
in order to keep the vines within bounds,
so as to have the fruit under the controF
OF the dresser, an annual Winter prua
ing is positively necessary; no matter
how widely grape growers may differ IN
the Summer treatment Of the vines, all
agree upon aud practice Winter prun-
ing. The best way to do this will de
pend altogether upon. the plan of train
ing adopted. on late years the "hori
zontal arm system" has grown popular
emong grape growers. aud for vineyard
sor garden cultare we like il better diam
any other plan of training that we have
examined. The more simple any meth
cd is in training vines the more likely
is il to meet the wants Of the masses,
aud for this reason the arm system has
given very general satisfaction. Il is
very simple; the vine is always under
the control Of the operator, aud the
Summer training can be done at less
expense than by any other method.
To start right, training should begin
when the vine is FIRST set in place The
first year onl a single shoot should BE-
permitted to grow This shoot should
be cut back to3 eyes ia the following
Winter. The next season two Shoots
should be allowed to grow, tying them,
up to stake during the Summer. To-
the Fall or Winter the trells should
be put up Of wire or thin strips Of mar.
row lath. Ths posts should be well set
in the ground, about l6 feet apart, aud
the first wire fastened Gu about 20 To-
ches above the surface. This distance,
or even few inches more, may be
necessary TO prevent the fruit from
getting dirty, which it win il The lover
wire is close TO the surface. Ingiying
the second annual Winter pruning, in
case the vines have made a vigorous
growth, each shoot may be left some
two feet in length, aud then the
nrms are fastened TO the lower wire.
in the opposite direction --ihat is, when
the vine dresser is standing IN froat OF
the vine, the arm on the right should
be leaned over and fastened to the leit.
while that on the lett should be taken
toward the right. At each annual
pruning each OF these arms can be in.
creased in length until they stretch 10,
Is. Or 20 feet, If need be, 10 Gil up the
space be. ween the end Of tile arm Of