American grape training : $b An account of the leading forms now in use of training the American grapesBailey, L. H. (Liberty Hyde)
Science
American grape training : $b An account of the leading forms now in use of training the American grapes
Bailey, L. H. (Liberty Hyde)
Viticulture -- United States
_The Munson System._--An unique system of training, upon the Kniffin
principle, has been devised by T. V. Munson, of Denison, Texas, a
well-known authority upon grapes. Two posts are set in the same hole,
their tops diverging. A wire is stretched along the top of these posts
and a third one is hung between them on cross-wires. The trunk of the
vine, or its head, is secured to this middle lower wire and the shoots
lop over the side wires. The growth, therefore, makes a V-shaped or
trough-like mass of herbage. Fig. 33 is an end view of this trellis,
showing the short wire connecting the posts and which also holds the
middle trellis-wire at the point of the V. Fig. 34 is a side view of the
trellis. The bearing canes, two or four, in number, which are left after
the annual pruning, are tied along this middle wire. The main trunk
forks just under the middle wire, as seen at the left in fig. 34. A head
is formed at this place not unlike like that which characterizes the
High Renewal, for this system also employs renewal pruning. The trellis
stands six feet high. The shoots stand upright at first, but soon fall
down and are supported by the side wires. The following account of this
system of training is written for this occasion by Mr. Munson:
"After the vines have flowered, the bearing laterals have their tips
pinched off, and that is all the summer pruning the vine gets, except to
rub off all eyes that start on the body below the crotch. Two to four
shoots, according to strength of vine, are started from the forks or
crotch and allowed to bear no fruit, but are trained along over the
lower central wire for renewal canes. When pruning time arrives, the
entire bearing cane of the present year, with all its laterals, is cut
away at a point near where the young renewal shoots have started, and
these shoots are shortened back, according to strength of vine; some,
such as Herbemont, being able at four years to fill four shoots six or
eight feet long with fine fruit, while Delaware could not well carry
over three or four feet each way of one shoot only. The different
varieties are set at various distances apart, according as they are
strong or weak growers.
[Illustration: 33. MUNSON TRAINING. END VIEW.]
"Thus the trellis and system of pruning are reduced to the simplest
form. A few cuts to each vine cover all the pruning, and a few ties
complete the task. A novice can soon learn to do the work well. The
trunk or main stem is secured to the middle lower wire, along which all
bearing canes are tied after pruning, and from which the young laterals
which produce the crop are to spring. These laterals strike the two
outer wires, soon clinging to them with their tendrils, and are safe
from destruction, while the fruit is thrown in the best possible
position for spraying and gathering, and is still shaded with the canopy
of leaves. I have now used this trellis five years upon ten acres of
mixed vines, and I am more pleased with it every year.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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