Sacramento daily record-union., 1888-11-17
GRAPEVINE PRUNING.
The Question of Pruning In the Summer
instead of Spring.

The last few warm days, says the Fresno
EtpOsit0r, have decided about the desira-
bility of spring pruning the Muscats. The
opinions as to the profits of such pruning
have been much divided. Charles A. Wet
more, a few years ago, when informed of
the practice Of cutting back the too exu-
berantly growing young branches of the
Muscat, shook his head and inquired
where such practice had a precedent; but
his and many other grape-growers' expert
ence was acquired in climates very differ
ent from our own. The advantages claimed
by those practicing summer pruning are
many. In the spring, when the young
shoots on the vines have reached three or
four feet, these shoots are exceedingly
tender and easily broken. 4 heavy wind
at that period is not an uncommon thing.
and its havoc in an unprotected vineyard
is damaging. After such heavy wind
thousands of shoots may be found broken
from the main vine just at the junction
between the old and the new wood. A
few days more, perhaps, the green branches
would have been sufficiently toughened to
Withstand the wind, but at the critical
time much damage is done To couteract
the force of the wind if it does come, and
as a safeguard, many yineyardists cut back
the young shoots one-half or more. The
proper time is considered Just when the
berries have set and the blossoming of the
first crop is over. At that time a certain
stagnation of the flow of the sap takes
place, and the cutting back would then not
have any sudden or unusual effect on the
vine. The immediate effect of the cutting
back is simply TO lessen the force of the
s,I -, IL Il
there is never any danger Of the branch
being broken by the wind. But a more
far-reaching effect Of the cutting back is ar
rived at Soon after the cutting back the
sap begins to flow upward and shoots make
their appearance at every joint. Thus in
stead of the single branch cut back, four or
five branches will grow out and shade the
vine. This shading Of the vine is of the
greatest Importance. The Muscat is the
highest bred and most tender of any grape,
and exposed to the rays of the sun the ber-
ries viii dry and burn up, causing not only
a loss of the crop, but an extra expense in
picking out the dry and spoiled berries.
Too many Of them will seriously iniure the
value of the raisins or even make them un-
salable.
Vineyards which have been summer
pruned well III the spring have III this
time of the year large crowns to shade the
berries. We have lately been through
several of them, and very few berries were
seen damaged by the sun or heat. On the
other hand, vineyards in which no summer
pruning had been practiced had to be pro-
tected in different ways. The favorite
way is to take some of the larger branches
and carry them crossways over the crown
of the vine, thus increasing the shade over
the center, where most Of the grapes are
found. But this method is more expen-
siye and we believe not so effective. If
we were asked to recommend either way,
we should advise the summer pruning
every time, as far as this locality is con-
cerned. In otherparts of California, where
the Muscat does not grow so vigorously,
summer pruning may not be of advantage
here it decidedly is.