Deming graphic., 1913-05-06

sap which, if the pruning had been
done in time, would have performed
useful work in the vines develop
ment. d
Summer pruning j. of great value
in shaping the vine, in removing an
excess of fruit aud making what Is
left larger and of better variety, and
also IN making the next winters
pruning simpler and more satisfar-
tory. Summer pruning should be
gin by the removal of surplus shoots
~ soon ~ the first growth Starts in
the spring, 81 the entire strength of
the vine may be- used IN the dircrtiuu
where it j. wanted. Thi, should h.,
repeated two or three times at in
lrrval~ of u week or ten days. All
Summer pruning should be- done 80
early in the season that me- tools are
needed for This work and can be-
easily don" with the thumb aud lin
ger.
The most simple form Of irrlli-
l. Il stake -cl at each vine. All
strong growing varieties should have
two stakes. The stakes should be-
four or five feet in length and two
or three inches in diameter and Of
durable wood. One stake should hr
sci when the vines are planted.
The growth of the first year should
be- confined 10 single cane and kept
tied to the stake; the only pruning
will be to rub of amy additional
shoots which may -tart from near
the ground on the old wood. II j,
desirable to force all the growth IN
this single cane.
SECOND SEASON
The next winter III. vino -houId br
cut so as TO leave this cane not over
three feet in length. From two To
four of the side shoots may be lci,
with two or thrc Joint, each and al
others removed. Select the best twp
and tc 10 the stake aud remove a'l
others a. soon a. they appear
II two stakes are to be- used, the
second should be set Oh ,h, side Il
the vine opposite the first, and the
new shoots should he trained to the
new stake, while the old cane re.
mains on the old stake. The two
shoots which are saved should have
their tops plnched off as soon as they
reach the top Of the stake; this will
induce strong growth Of the side
branches.
The single cane fom the previous
season may produce q few cluster,
of fruit, but should not ho allowed Io
bear 50 much as to check the Wig
orouS growth of the new shoots.
two or three clusters on each spur
will usually be all the vine should
support.
Remember that a, this stage the
end IN view is to pormote the vigor
and frame work of the vine. Ii more
fruit is left on the vine than it can
support and make a vigorous growth.
You will pay many times over later
OH for this first excess of fruit.
THE NEXT STEP
AT the end of the season The old
cane should be cut oil = littlr below
the tops Of the new ones. The 0a'
ter should be cut off a little below
the tops Of the stakes, and trom
three to five spurs of two or three
joints each should be left on each.
and one of them should be tied to
each stake. From this time on the
winter pruning and training will be
nearly the same each year. Two
new shoots should be allowed to grow
from IA near the ground as possible.
one of the new shoots and one Of the
old cranes being trained on each
stake.
This is the cheapest trellis which
can be devised, hut has some objec-
tions. Other forms are the wire trel-
lis and the canopy system, and these
require somewhat different methods
of pruning and training, the dcscrip.
tion of which would take a great deal
of space and time. For full de-
scription of methods see "Fouuda-
tons of American Grape Culture"
by the late Professor T. V. Munsou.
NEW PREFERRED VARIETIES
The varieties best suited to this
section, requiring the least amount
of care and giving the largest yield
Of the best fruit, in my opinion, will
be neither American nor European,
but crosses from the two.
VARIETIES DESCRIBED.
The American grape has not tho
appearance, size or shipping quality
ot the European, and is not well suit
cd III most of its varieties to our dry
climate. The European can be pro-
duced here, and has been for long