The Lynden tribune. [volume] (Lynden, Wash.) 1908-current, 1920-12-30
GROWING GRAPES
IN WASHINGTON
INWARD HISTORY READ BY
ROBERT T. REID AT spo.
KANE MEETING
Suggests Greater Grape Acreage
to Washington State Horticnl.
tural Association.
Continued from last week.
Pruning After the Second Year

''e'S AFTER the second Year
The Kniffen high removal system
which may be modified to suit the in
dividual grower has been found bes
adapted to the majority of America,
grapes. Briefly, this system is as fol
lows: Select two vigorous canes. lie
shoots OF the previous years grow tn
near the top Of the vine cutting then
OF about three feet from the vine anc
tie them to the top wire pruning of
all other canes close to the vine, leay
ing the pruned vine in the form of the
letter T. Shoots will spring from
each bud on these canes most OF which
will develop grape clusters and it will
be found that the vine will produce
much larger clusters than if no prun
ing had been done. This process is
repeated each year, new canes being
selected to replace the old ones
the result being a generous yield
OF fruit OF the highest quality
Where vines are vigorous and six or
eight years old four canes may be de.
tanned instead OF two, two Of which
are rather loosely fastened to tAe see.
ond wire in the same manner as those
fastened to the top wire. A full dc.
scription Of this system of pruning and
training may be found in Prot. Bailey's
Pruning Book" pages 4s3 to 4s6. and
its advantages over the Spur system
in vogue in some sections are set
forth in the Iowa State Experiment
Station bulletin No 100 issued in Oc-
tobsr, 1915.
Harvesting and Marketing
The fruit ripens uniformly and is
ready for harvest about the middle Of
October in Western Washington and q
week or ten days earlier il Eastern
sections. 1t is not injured by light
frosts but should be harvested as soon
as ripe and may be kept in cold stor-
age for two or three weeks, or mar
keted at once as conditions warrant.
For shipment to nearby markets the
fruit may be placed directly into bas-
kets as harvested, a basket holding
10 or II pounds of grapes and equip
ped with thin board covers having
been found most suitable for this pur-
pose. Repacking in ordinary grape
baskets is thus avoided, and the fruit
reaches the market in better condition
than II repacked. II the fruit is har-
vested during wet weather it should
be gathered in shallow trays and thor
oughly dried before being packed for
shipment. These suggestions apply to
the American grape rather than the
several varieties of European grapes
(vitus vinefera) grown in some Sec
lions OF Eastern Washington.
Arrangement Of the Vineyard
In laying out a vinyard it is well to
provide aisles about eight feet wide
running transversely to the trellises
and about 220 feet or the width OF an
acre, apart and to leave at least 1t
feet turning space at the extremities
of the rows. The vinyard will thus be
divided into sections which may be
designated by letters as Section A.
Section B, etc. The rows should De
numbered consecutively starting Win
number one in each section, and the
end posts Of each row should be equip
pei with small board signs upon wnicn
the section letter and row number are
stsnciled, as Al. B1, etc. This ar
ranxement will be found OF great con
yenience in fixing the location OF inoi'
vidual vines, the different varieues'
etc. At least eight feet space snould
be left between a fenceor other struc'
ture and the row OF vines running
parallel thereto to admit OF thorough
cultivation on both sides OF TINS row
Otherwise its yield of fruit Will De
very scant.
Packing House
A hacking house Of liberal size
should be constructed and proVioeo
with ample racks for the storage o.
grapes. large quantities OF which may
=. harvested in a short time before
any are shipped out. and with suitable
tables for sorting and packing Ar
rsneemsnts should also be maze u
provide free circulation OF air wn'ch
will aid in the drying Of fruit that II
wet when gathered.
Future Prospects
The growing demand for monaco
holic beverages will doubtless resui
in the consumption OF large Poi'io-
of Eastern grapes that heretofore na's
found a market on this Coast vnicl
will have to be supplied from our osI
y,nysrds. This in addition 20 .n'
.rov,ns demand for grapes TOT sinii-
ma. .. the Coast, coupled with ths N
creased cost OF transportation' 'enu
"a make the future very promis,ht =
,hose who contemplate the planting o
VINEYARDS.