A POMOLOGICAL ARTICLE.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 22 February 1911, Page 2

A POMOLOGICAL ARTICLE.

GROWING GRAPES UNDER GLASS.

(Written by "Unit" for the Horowhenua Chronicle.) BUILDING UP THE RODS.

Up to a very few years ago a 'Uniform practice prevailed "regarding the working up of the rods. This has now largely given way to a more hurried process, a process that works well in capable hands. It is well 'understood by; experienced people that to maintain a vine many years in proper condition, so that it will continue to bear high uqality grapes and a full orop, it must not be hurried into bearing. The first tilling to do is to build up a rod than shall 'be stouter at the lower end tlh«in at the top, reverse this and you have a more or less crippled vine, the sap will not flow properly and the vino gets old before its time. This is dono by severe shortening i'n the early years so as to counteract its natural tendency to run to top. True, in a state of nature it goes its own way, and lives long, but there is no restriction in nature, nor does nature produce the quality of grapes thai; man produces by artificial means. The old custom was, and it still prevails in most eases, after the first year's growth to cut the rods back to almost tilie starting point. The object being to secure a preponderate quantity of roots in proportion to the top. The following season growth would be very strong, fine rods would be formed, but no grapes, excopt maybe a bunch or two 011 each vine to prove the variety. Growers for market now adopt a different plan. They allow a vfne to bear the first year, and, fill the rafters as rapidly as possible. But they are "runningfor n fall"; they know the vinos will not long bear tlhe strain, but will soon fall in size of bunch and berry, and that they will fail to colour the berries, these being red instead of black. Tll that state they may be sweet, but not ridlr in flavour. Beforo this happens they rip the vines out and start afresh. The usual plan is to propare plants in pots that will be ready to bear the season thoy arc planted. Those young vines are raised from single eves; they are rooted in small pots plunged usually in tan beds; they arc potted On as they fill oach pot with roots; till at length they are in f)in or lOin nots, and tfhe rods have hearing wood six feet or eight feet long. Tt requires convenience and considerable skill to effect this. These yrrnug vines take the place of those cut out and bear the season they are planted. SLOW AND SURE. The plan just sketched is only available to those with auxiliary houses and the requisite means; and, above all, the skill. It is not within the reach! of readers of this article, and so we come down to the one plan, which is the common one, though it is seen in many variations —usually involuntary ones. After many years observation, T am convinced tlbat the old adage "slow and wins the race" is particularly applicable here. And so at length we come down to what it after all the crux of these articles, viz., to describe as woll as T can the working of vines 011 tlhe "short spur" system. It wa.s pointed out earlier that the largest bunches are produced by the "long rod" system. Some varieties are very shy about making good buds at the base of the laterals, and will produce good bundhes only'from good buds. The plan in such cases is to cut to a good bud, instead of right back, though that may be Gin or more from the base. This leads to the necessity of frequent renewal of spurs, a matter it is not necessary to follow up. This plan is valuable in growing Duke of Buccleugh. which was referred to in mv first article.

THE TRET,MS.

Foliage should never touch the glass, every inch of growth should he under control, a well ordered vinery is a pattern of neatness and cleanliness, and work in it is easy because well ordered : a pleasure because of all these, things. T like to he able to l'ook tiha* whole length of the house. The wires should be strotched along the house, not up the rafters ; they should he 12in from the glass. This ensures a free circulation of air, and allows the leaves to stand upright without touching. It also allows room for the young laterals before tllioy become tough enough to lie down. THE FIRST SEASON. The vines will be some distance below the first wire of the trellis: fix a straight stick beside each, thrust one end in the ground, and tie the other to the first wire. Train the leader inp the stick- till it readhes the wire, then up the roof on a strand of flax or rappia stretched for the purpose. This will ensure a straight rod. The leader is not to be pinched at all, lot it go as far as it will. Laterals are the shoots springing from the main rod: these should be pinched when they have two perfect leaves. Sub-laterals are tllic shoots springing from the laterals after pinching: these should bo pinched beyond the first perfect leaf tilley make and so on seasoin. A strand of raffia should be run up midway between each rod: this is to t : c the laterals to. About the middle of January examine the rods and determine what pruning you will do in winter. Tf the rods are as thick as a man's thumb, they will be fit to bear some fruit next season. Tf less than that, but still fair, only allow enough fruit to prove the variety, say a hundh on each ; it growth has beem poor, decide to •lit right hack to starting point. In the first -enso it will lie safe to grow fruit for -Ift or of up the rod, so you should decide to cut back to that length. You should in the meantime cut awnv all the laterals from the -part of the rod which to hear fruit, being very careful that tlm large leaf On the rod at the fool of each lateral is left; if from any cause a leaf in that position has bean lost, you must have one joint of the lateral with a leaf. The purpose of this pruning is to plump nip the buds. All growth above fli.t* point may now he left to rm wild for the remainder of the season. The following seasons until the rod is fruiting its full length, will be a rcoetitition of this so far as regards the part of the rod not bearing, except that growth at top should be checked a hit when tllie_ crop has assumed important proportions. GROWING THE FRUIT. It is usual to tie the rods roughly together along the bottom of' the [ roof during winter. This is do,ne because of the tendency they show to start growth at the' top first, Which is supposed to rob tihe bottom. They will, however, rob the bottom part in any case, as was previously and I have long doubted if there is any real benefit derived from practice. Being unable to tie my vines down (because of a centre post in the way) first proved to me that it does not r/iatter muelr' whether they are tied down or not. It is certainly accompanied by some risk, for they must be left down till •growth has well started, or it must he useless; and then, unless gre.nt care is taken, some of the shoots will pet'knocked off in getting them in place. Asa compromise, audi in case it may d:o good., I prefer to leave the rods in their places, but unfasten the top half and lot it droop; that gives the wanted bond, and the rods are easily fixed nip without risk. Before tihe time the vines should l start let the house bo well ventilated; it is a had) plan to try to

start them early, by keeping the house close. They are lmble S6Y6TO clioclc should 41H ©XTTtft iCOKI snap come along . In any there are sure to be cold nights that would cause a too great difference of temperature between day and night. As soon as growth begins, I like to keep the bottom ventilator closed, except for a time about the middle of an extra 'hot day. Top ventilation, however, should be liberal. Open early in the morning, before the sun is 011 the glass, and close up tight an hour before tilie sim leaves the glass; this will, so to speak, bottle up sunshine, and keep the house warm a long time. Syringe lightly all over when closing; this creates an atmosphere favourable to growth, and keeps the young foliage clean. No attempt is to be made to tie down shoots for a long time; tlipy are vcr.v liable to be broken off. and there is no need anyway, for if the rods are in tlveir proper places tlie shoots mil not be 111 the way. Buncihe.s of grapes will appear at points varying with the variety; some at every joint, others more scant. It is well to leave all nrntil the berries are sot; you will them select the best bunches 011 eactW shoot and cut off all others. Jn the meantime, the laterals must- ho restricted to tilieir proper space, so that when about two bunches show on each'shoot- they will 'iMia/ly hive reached as far as space will allow, having due regard to future growth also. When tih'e point of the shoot has been pinched out, growth of leaves will be more rapid, and the lateral will soon be touglit enough to tie down though l in many cases this can only be partially done at first. Tt is better to tie down a little way than to let the shoots touch the glass. Duriiig the time the vines are flowering the atmosphere should ho kept, dryer than usual, for though there is seldom any trouble from shy setting in this sunny_ clime, nothing is lost by taking a little extra care. The varieties that are habitually shv setters are not grown here: still there is a little shyness sometimes. Tf a vine is known to set badly, give the vine a few smart raps with a stick about midday while the flowers last, this is usually sufficient. It sets the whole vine a quivering, and distributes tfh'e pollen. As soon as the grapes are set, the bunches to be retained .should be selected, only one should be kept on each lateral. Nothing is gained by keeping more and quality is sacrificed. Of course if there are any barren laterals, the number can be made up by leaving two on others; on the other hand, if you have the luck to see a very largo hundh l strip a few laterals to balance it and give it a chance. THTNNTNG THE BERRIES. This a- rock on which many a one comes to grief. T like to see the' novice approach this job witih fear and trembling, for then I knowlie will come out right. The party who does not know and does not know it, is the hard case. _ It is quite impossible to teach "chinning by writing; each variety requires sper.il thi'nning depending on several things Lady Downs — an excellent late grape—has very short stalks to the herrie.s and makes a straight narrow bunch. Tt is a hard subject to thin hncause of the short stems and the large number of stoneless berries always present. Thinning this Tariotv must be done early otherwise it is impossible. Out out all the stoneloss ones first, these can be distinguished bv tlheir comparative small size. The berries are naturally large; they form in clusters of three Or more; cut out all except the outermost one. and relieve the inner parts of the bundhes by removing oven more than the number just stated. (To be continued.)