The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1922-11-16
FARM DEMONSTRATION AGENTS DEPARTMENT
Edited by T. NJ. \ Cathcart.
How and When to Prune Bunch Grapes

How and When to Prune Bunch Grapes
The habits of growth and fruit
bearing of the bunch grape make 1t
easy to prune and the work can be
done much more Systematically than
with most other fruits. Further
more, it will stand very severe prun-
ing without injury. The fruit Is
borne on new shoots from the pre-
ceding years growth and unless the
vine is continually cut back, the
fruiting area will become farther
removed from the main. stem each
wear and will produce long, naked
canes, which serve no purpose other
than to convey plant food to the
more remote fruit-bearing parts.
Moreover, if the vine is left to 1t
self. more fruit will form than the
plant can properly develop. The i'm
portant objects in pruning, then, are
to get the most bearing wood in the
Smallest space and to limit the bear
ing wood according to the ability OF
the vine to produce we'll developed
fruit. Not infrequently vines are al
lowed to retain too much bearing
wood and there is q consequent waste
of energy in the production of many
small, inferior punches. For best re-
suits, our common varieties more than
four years old should be pruned SO
as to bear not more than from seventy
to one hundred clusters.
The method of pruning is determ-
ined in part by the kind of training
practiced. There are several good
systems. One of the simplest, which
is also one of the best for this state
is that known as the double Kniffin
system of training, in which are de-
veloped two trunks, each Of which
carries two arms trained to two
wire trellis.
Use a one or two-year-old vine for
transplanting and cut back the top
to three or four strong buds. That
vigorous canes may be produced, rub
off all shoots that appear during
summer, except the strongest three.
Only two shoots are necessary, but
It is we'll to leave three, in case one
should be injured. The following
winter latter constructing the trel-
lis) remove the weakest of the three
canes and cut back those remaining,
one at the first wire and the other at
the top wire. Securely tied to the
wires, they form the permanent
trunks of the vine. In the third year,
select two strong canes coming out
near the extremity of each trunk and
train them along the wires in oppo-
site directions to form arms. Then
y shorten them back to a length OF
two. three or four feet, this depend
ing on the vigor of the vine. All
other canes are cut off close to the
trunk.
Pruning in the fourth and subse-
ouent years consists in cutting back
new canes to two buds or entirely
renewing the arms by cutting them
out and training new canes to take
their places. 1t is not always pos
sible to renew an arm, because OF the
probable lack of a strong cane to
take its place. On the other hand
the practice of cutting back canes to
two buds, continued long time, will
cause a thick, Objectionable mass OF
spurs to accumulate along the arms.
The most desirable way is to combine
the renewal plan with the spur meth
cd and thereby suit the pruning to
the vigor and general form Of the
vine. In cases where it seems best
to prune an arm to spurs. thin them
to a distance of six to eight inches
apart to prevent the setting of more
fruit than the vine can properly de-
velop. Prune during November and
December.