The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1881-05-12
Training. and Pruning Grape Vines.


Immense crops of grapes are grown
systematic mode of training or pruning.
The vines. are allowed to run at will
over walls and arbors, with no other
interruption than imperfect pruning
each spring. These vines bear fruit,
often in abundance, but it is of inferior
quality, and the punches are seldom
well filled out. Nothing short of intel
ligent pruning will improve the char
acter of fruit grown on such vines.
For the benefit of large class of in
quiring beginners in grape culture, a
mode of training and pruning recon-
mended by P, Barry, Rochester, n. Y,
and approved by enthusiastically vint-
ners, is here reproduced in detail. In
it the principle of horizontal arms, a
leading feature in most systems, is ex-
planned. The plant ordinarily sent out
from the nursery at one or two years
old may have one Or more shoots.
However this may be. all save, the
strongest one are pruned off and it is
cut back to within two eyes of its base
These eyes will produce two shoots, the
weaker of which is rubbed off and the
stronger one trained up SO soon as they
have made growth of two or three
inches. This remaining. shoot is per-
mitted to grow uninterrupted until Sep
tember, when it is pinched back at the
end to mature and strengthen it, any
side shoots that appeared during the
summer having been pinched off as well
as any suckers that appeared about the
roots.
Ii the shoot of last year made a
growth of ten or twelve feet, the second
year it may be cut back to three eyes
and the canes be trained up; but if it
made only weak growth it must again
be cut back to two eyes and one shoot
only trained up. Side shoots should be
carefully watched and as soon as leaf
has formed one inch in diameter the
shoot be pinched off just beyond it with
the thumb and fingers. Soon this leaf
will have attained full size and the bud
at its base matured and again sent forth
a new shoot which ought to be stopped
as at first. No suckers from below the
main canes should be permitted to
grow. In September these canes are
to be stopped as before and no fruit al
lowed e. s
The third year the cultivator will
have two strong canes with which to
start the framework of the vine. Each
OF these is cut back at the winter pr1ln-
ing to within two or three feet mot
buds) sofyits base, bent in the form of a
bow and tied to the lower wire of the
trellis. After the buds have started in
the spring and made growth of four
to six inches these canes should be
loosened and fastened to the lower hor-
izontal bar of the trellis, one reaching
one way and the other in an opposite
direction, like two arms spread out.
Ihe@bud on the end of eaehgwill pro-
duce shoot to continue the prolono-
ment in horizontal direction and a
bud on the. upper side of each will pro-
duce shoottO be trained in an upright
position. All others should be rubbed
OFT SO that each of the arms will, pro-
dace two shoots. an upright and ahori-
zontal one. These must be tied in as is
required, and the side shoots spinched
OIL from time to time. They are also
stopped in September as before. ~,
The fourth year each of last years
shoots is cut back to within three feet
of its base. The two upright canes now
established will produce a shoot from
thelr tops to continue their extension,
and the horizontal ones, as before. pro-
duce shoot at the point to be carried
outwartis, and one on the top to be
trained upright. In this way the vines
continue adding every season two new
upright canes, and two or three feet in
length to the previous ones, until the
whole treHis is covered At this staoe
OF growth the management consists in
pruning the spurs every winter to about
three eyes Each frlit-brancli should
be allowed to produce two punches of
fruit and when the shoot has made four
to six leaves beyond the last bunch. of
frlitthe endshould be rinched. This will
cause development of foliage and soon
the last bud will push OUT a side shoot
which must again and again be pinched
as 1T grows, SO as, to arrest the produc-
ton of useless wood and turn the top to
the benefit of the fruit. Under the
method thus infinitely described, during
the fourth year several fruit shoots will
be produced on each of which one or
two punches of grapes may be ripened.
This system is subject, of course, to
to suit variations in eli
mate, vines, etc. By its employment a
of vigor will be maintained
and the trellis covered in every part |
with bearing wood.
In some sections, as Ohio and Mis-
souri,, what is termed the renewal-cane
system is practiced, which consists in
cutting away all the wood of |
'wo years old or more. Some winners
advocate training and fruiting by leav-
ng very long canes, with more or less
II the laterals. and pruning the later
lis to. one or two buds. This mode is
,racticed with success on the Concord.
Clinton and similar varieties,
fins many vineyards the vines are
rained to stakes. Sometimes two stakes
re employed, ON one of which two
anes OF the previous years growth are
led spirally, and on the other new
boots are supported. At the winter
running these canes are shortened and
be ones that bore last year are cut
own for the production of new canes.
mother practice employs three stakes.
IN the center one the new shoots are
rown and on the two outside ones a I,
ane is trained for fraiting. r
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