PLANTING AND PRUNING THE VINE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 150, 27 June 1931, Page 6 (Supplement)

PLANTING AND PRUNING THE VINE.

It is a simple matter to prune a grape vine, to cut away tliose nut brown branches which have grown during the past summer months. But is is also veryeasy to cut away .the greater part of the next year's crop of grapes. If the yines have bee'n "well managed during the growing season, the basal bud will generally contain an embryo branch of grapes. If, as is ofte'n the case, the treatment has been faulty, then such 'basal buds will not produce a tendril growth. So it is safer to prune to two buds or "eyes." If both resultant shoots bear bunches of grapes, simply pinch off while small the weaker, thus retaining one side shoot

with one bunch of grapes on it. The best time to prune 'is June. A little study of the accompanying sketches will help the inexperienced in the work of pruning vines. No. 1 shows the -wrong way to cut o/T the branch, just beyond the second 'bud. No. 2 shows the right way to make the cut. No. 3 shows how to prune the branches on the'spurs, and also the proportion of new growth to retain at the top in the case of vines that have not filled the vinery. No. 1 shows how a newly planted vine should be pruned. It must bo cut back almost to the base. This, to a novice, may seem drastic treatment and quite wrong to cut away as much of the long young cane but do not hesitate, it is the proper thing to do. The vine will make better progress

if so treated than if it was left nearly its full length. No. 5 shows how a young vine should be pruned the second year aiter planting, so as to build up a strong plant, gradually fill up the glass house, and at the same time bear a good crop of grapes next year. All cut ends of sdioots should be painted with styptic or painter's "knotting." Vines are planted in borders, wholly outside, wholly inside, or both inside and outside the glass house. Eai'ly forced vines and those bearing late crops of grapes are best planted in inside borders. Vines not hard forced and ripening their grapes at the end of the summer months may be planted in borders constructed partly inside and partly outside the glass house. The drainage material, composed of broken bricks or rubble, should be about nine

iinches in depth, and the soil of the border itself should be about 22 inches deep. Good drainage is essential and to this end, the bottom of the border should be constructed as shown at Fig. 6, so as to drain away surplus water quickly. No. 7 shows the drainage material, No. 8 whole turves placed grass side downwards, No. 9 chopped turves, and No. 10 chopped turves, and a little finer soil placed round the roots of the vines. No. 11 shows how to plant vines inside the glass house. No. 12 shows how to plant a vine outside the glass house. No. .13 shows how the stem is taken through the wall, and No. 14 shows how the portion of the stem outside the vinery must be wrapped round with bands of dried grass or straw.