GRAPE – CULTURE.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume VI, Issue 5, 15 May 1913, Page 529

GRAPE - CULTURE.

S. F. ANDERSON.

Vinehouse Work for June.

The pruning of the early-ripening vines may commence about the end of this month, provided the leaves have fallen or a tap of the rod brings them off. Before pruning, should it be required to obtain cuttings or scions for grafting, these should be selected and taken off the vines first. The proper wood for this purpose is that which has borne fruit, is well ripened, and short-jointed. Cut to convenient lengths, label each kind, bury them up to the top joint in moist loose earth or sand, and place in a cool —the back of a building or other suitable spot where the sun cannot reach them. It is necessary for grafting that the scion should be dormant and the stock growmg. The growth of scions must therefore be retarded. When pruning rods of one year’s growth the bud at the base of the lateral (there is only one at this stage) is prominent, and no mistake need be made where to make the cut. As the vines get older, however, the buds get smaller, and there are more of them, so that the beginner in vine-culture is more likely to be confused. There is generally one, if not so conspicuous as in the young rods, immediately at the base of the lateral, that can be relied upon, above which the cut may be made. This applies to the majority ,of vines now being cultivated under glass. The exceptions are Barbarossa and Duke of Buccleuch. In pruning these it has been found necessary

to leave the last joint of the lateral, because the bud at the base above referred .is not to. be relied on. If the base bud does start, then the one on the .joint end can be. rubbed, off. Still. referring to the above-named vines, some growers prefer growing . a new rod every year. To do this two or three rods are grown to one vine, one of which is renewed each year. The pruning of the vines should be done as soon as ready to allow of the other work being proceeded with, such as thoroughly cleaning the house, forking manure into the borders, whitewashing walls, and painting woodwork. , Remove all old ties and tendrils from the wires, leaving no harbour for insect eggs or spores of fungoid diseases. All loose bark should be rubbed off (not scraping the vines) and caught on cloths or newspapers spread under the vines, so that they can be taken away and burned. Should any of the white, fluff containing mealy-bug eggs be observed when cleaning the rods, it should be immediately touched with methylated spirit. After pruning and cleaning up, thoroughly wash or syringe the vines with hot water. If the house is free from mealy bug, this cleaning will be sufficient. Should, however, mealy bug be in the house the rods must be painted with the clay-and-tar mixture or one of the paints recommended by the Department.

Vineyard Work.

Pruning can be commenced this month. The system followed in the vine-growing portion of the Dominion for pruning the European varieties of the wine-grape vine is known ■as the Double Guyot. It consists of confining the fruit-bearing portion of the vine to two arms or, as they are termed, rods, extending about 4 ft. each way from the crown of the plant, and fastened down to the bottom wire of the espalier fence on which they should be trained. This wire should not be more than a foot from the ground. As these fruiting-rods are- renewed every year, the pruner has not only to select the two best rods for tying down, but to provide for the following year by cutting back those shoots to spurs that are to produce the fruiting-rods the following year. It is a case of looking two years ahead. In providing the vine with the rods for the following season’s fruiting and spurring shoots for producing fruiting-rods the year after, it is necessary to make the selection in such a way that the shoots spurred back should come below those retained for fruiting-rods. If this is not done the stem of the' vine gets higher every year, which, by judicious pruning, can be avoided.

It is proposed to prepare a leaflet setting forth by description and illustration at greater length how this work is done. In the case of pruning and training the American class of vine, such as the Albany Surprise and Isabella, the grower is referred to Leaflet No. 11 (New Series).