VITICULTURE.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume XVIII, Issue 6, 20 June 1919, Page 371

VITICULTURE.

By

S. F. ANDERSON,

Vine and Wine Instructor.

THE COOL VINEHOUSE

As soon as the leaves have. fallen pruning may be commenced. In most houses there is one rod to each vine. In that case the pruning is. a simple matter. The better the vines have been grown the clearer the buds stand out, and the better are they developed and capable of producing a strong shoot. Where the vine has been deprived of its foliage to a harmful extent in the growing season the shoots that are now to be cut away will be spindly and weak. To some extent the

same effect is produced by allowing the fruit-bearing shoot to run unchecked up among dense foliage. It- will be . noticed that buds at the base of the shoots are closer together than at other parts. In the vine a few years old there is a cluster of buds at this place. It will be best for the amateur pruner to leave the first well-formed. bud beyond these (which we will call No. i). The experienced vinegrower with a better knowledge of his vines can tell when a cut closer to the base can be made. Theoretically the strongest shoots are obtained from the best-formed buds ; in practice, however, strong shoots also come from these scaly, inconspicuous buds. When the. vines put forth their growth in spring, and a cluster of shoots appears from the base, among these being some as strong and bearing as much fruit as that put out by No. i, then the latter may be rubbed off, together with the other ’ superfluous shoots. This selection can be made only after a growth of 4 in. to 6 in. is put forth. This method of pruning applies to most of the strong-growing vines. For the amateur I would repeat, rather than risk the close pruning, cut just above No. I. Prune carefully, making sure of the right spot at which to cut. Do not hurry the job. Use sharp secateurs ; if they are blunt the wood is crushed by the blades, and the bud may .be injured. To use the secateurs correctly, cut through, the shoot with the back of the hand next to the part to be left, the nut that screws the secateurs together facing away from the part cut, severing the shoot about | in. beyond the bud with a sloping cut. ~ ■

Cleaning the rods : While the pruning is in progress keep a look out for mealy bug. Have some methylated spirit and a brush handy, and touch with it any that can be seen. After the pruning is completed, if the vines are a few years old, there is generally some scaly rough bark to remove. This is rubbed off with the hand or gardening-glove. There should be no scraping done. . If it is a clean house, washing the rods with hot water is all that is required. The water can be fairly hot, as no harm will be done. A temperature of 150° to 170° F. will kill most insects or their. eggs. If mealy bug be present after the washing the rods should be painted with the clay-and-tar mixture, prepared as described in the Department’s Bulletin No. 40. Failing the right sort of clay, make a paint with 8 oz. of Gishurst’s compound to a gallon of water, with clay added to give it the consistency of paint, and apply with a brush. After going over the rods after the paint has dried a careful examination may reveal some parts missed, and a little more may be required to make a thorough job.

While on the subject of treatment of vine-rods for killing insects and their eggs, I may say that cases of injury to vines by oils used in a pure state or insufficiently emulsified have come under my notice so often that a special note is called for. It should be noted that the wood of the vine is of a soft porous nature, and it thus absorbs more easily than other fruit-tree woods any substance applied-to its surface. Many of the oily washes used no doubt have been effective in destroying insects and their eggs, but in some cases injury has been done to the rods. . This- has been caused by the mixture being badly made, and possibly the oil getting separated, but in most cases by applying pure oil. Therefore oil mixtures, if used at all, must be thoroughly emulsified. . Kerosene and benzine should be avoided in any form.

Cleaning the house : The rafters of most houses are of wood, and can be scrubbed with warm water and soap, and the glass syringed clean with water. The walls, if of rough weatherboards and painted, can be whitewashed. Walls of concrete, brick, &c., are normally whitewashed. The soil of the inside borders should be well dug over. If artificial manure, such as bonedust, &c., is to be added, it can be spread over first at the rate of | lb. to the square yard, and the digging will turn this well under. On completion of this work, if a wire is stretched along about r ft. outside the centre path of the house - and pegged down, the vine-rods slightly bowed can be tied down to it till growth starts in spring. The object of this is to make the vine start its growth more evenly. It checks the strong flow of sap to the end of the rod, making the growth at. that place- much stronger than in the lower parts of the rod, which latter condition occurs if the rod is tied up to the wires before it makes a start.

THE VINEYARD.

. The vines may be pruned when the wood is ripe— is, when it has lost its green herbaceous appearance and assumed its brown winter state. If . cut at this stage no bleeding follows. Till the pruning is done no attempt should be made to remove from espalier, fences the branches that are to come away, however confused a mass the growth may appear.. ' Dragging at these branches may lead to breaking or injury to the rods that are to be retained, or to the base of those that are to be cut back to spurs. , . / ;:' t -

Use great care in selection of rods that are to be retained. Whenever available these should be lower on the stem of the plant than those cut back to form spurs that-are to provide new growth for the following year. If this method were not observed the stem would get higher every year. Start slowly at this work ; speed will come as the eye gets accustomed to the apparent confusion of branches, and 'then the cuts can be quickly made. All dead spurs and useless wood should be cut away at this time. ■ ' . ' -