Pruning and The value of re moving a portion of the vine and other woody plants was recognized at a very early date. Most of our native grapes are more vigorous growers and show a greater tendency to climb and spread than do the European vines. Prun ing relates to the removal of such parts of the vine as ensures better fruit and larger yield. The general principles of pruning are practi cally the same for all vines, and these prin ciples as given by Prof. L. H. Bailey are: (1) Fruit is borne on wood of the present season, which arises from wood of the previous sea son; (2) a vine should bear only a limited number of clusters, and (3)• the bearing wood should be kept near the original trunk or head of the vine. Thus, the wood is constantly re newed, and new shoots which give wood, or canes, for the following year, are called °renewals." Training relates to the form and disposition of the different parts of the vine. It is not necessary to describe the different methods of training. Each large vineyard district has its own system.
Brief mention may be made of the three well-known ways of training the native vine outside of California: (1) The so-called “Knif fin first obtained in the Hudson River district. The vine is allowed to grow at will the first season after planting; the second year it is cut back two or three buds from the ground, and from the stub only one shoot is allowed to grow. This is tied to a stake, at intervals, as it grows, to keep it straight to the height of the trellis. In the third year posts are set about 16 feet apart between every two vines. Two wires are then stretched along the posts, the upper wire about five and one half feet above the ground, and the lower one about half way between the upper wire and the ground. The vine is now tied to each wire, and cut off even with the upper one. The next year all the buds on the vine are rubbed off, except four — two for each wire. The two arms on the top wire are often bent down to the second wire, thus forming a droop, and the system is known as the "drooping system" of training.
(2) The Chautauqua system of vine training, as it may be called, is largely used in the vine yards of that district. In the first year the vine is cut back to three or four buds. The second year it is cut back to five or six buds, and three of the strongest shoots are left to grow the fruit-bearing arms for the third year. The trel lis consists of three wires. Each year three or four of the strongest new canes are trained upon the trellis spread out in a fan shape.
(3) The Munson system of vine training is named after T. V. Munson, of Texas, a prom inent viticulturist, and is adapted to the native vines of the Southern States. The trellis used is little different from that of the other sys tems. Thus, the posts are set about 24 feet
apart, and carry two lines of wire. The vine is pruned back in the first year, and the next year the two arms may be allowed to bear a few clusters, if the vine is strong. The "bear ing arms" are then cut back to one or two eyes each; the other arms to 8 or 10 eyes. These arms bear the next year, and are pruned for the third year quite short, while the bearing arms for the next' year are pruned long. By this system of training there is a shifting of the bearing canes from one side of the vine to the other; all of which, it is claimed, gives vigor to the vine and a good distribution of the fruit.
Diseases of the Vine.— These are caused by animal and vegetable parasites. Of the former the worst and best known is the phylloxera. An American entomologist, the late Prof. C. V. Riley, discovered that some of our native American vines were infested by phylloxera, but they successfully resisted its at tacks. He therefore recommended to the French and other growers of European grapes that they graft their vines on American This proved to be the solution of the problem, and practically all of the millions of vines planted in France during the past 25 years are on "resistant stocks," or American species of vines. It is the same in California, where the vineyards destroyed by phylloxera have been and are being replaced by vines grafted on American stocks. The main thing now is to get the right "resistant vines" for different soils and different climates. The other insect pests are the grape leaf-hopper, the root-worm, the flea-beetle, thrips, rose-bug, etc.
The leaf- or vine-hopper often does consid erable damage in the vineyards of the East as well as in California. The best remedy so far recommended is a solution of whale-oil soap applied in a spray. The root-worm is at pres ent working in the vineyards of Chautauqua and in northern Ohio. Two or three sprayings of arsenate of lead during the season is recom mended, but thorough cultivation is regarded as the best check to the root-worm. See IsisEcrt QM& The leading vegetable diseases of the vine are mildew, black rot, oidium, anthracnose, anaheim, etc. The effects of mildew are seen on the leaves, stern and the fruit. This disease is indigenous in this country, and first appeared in 1878 in Europe, where it spread over the vineyard districts, France, Germany, Italy and Spain, doing great damage.
Black rot was also introduced into Europe from the United States, but there it was not as serious as with us. The rot first affects the leaves and then passes to the fruit. The condi tion most favorable for the spread of both mil dew and black rot is warm, moist weather. Set