Topping and Pinching Vines

First published in 1918, this volume looks at the benefits and drawbacks of "topping" and "pinching" grape vines for wine production. It includes descriptions and explanations of the processes, describing when these potentiality yield-improving techniques are useful, as well as the circumstances in which they can be damaging and unhelpful. Contents include: "Methods and Results of Experiments", "Arrangement of the Experiments", "Number of Tips of Shoots Removed", "Material Removed by Topping", "Cost of Pinching and Topping", "Effect on Weight of Crop", "Effect on Second Crop", "Gains and Losses from Pinching and Topping", etc. Frederic Theodore Bioletti (1865 - 1939) was an English-born American vintner. He studied at the University of California, Berkeley from 1889 to 1900, where he worked with prominent soil scientist Professor E.W. Hilgard. His work with Hilgard on the fermentation of wines under different conditions were significant in helping California vintners to refine their wine production practices and improving the resulting wines. Many vintage books such as this are becoming increasingly scarce and expensive. We are republishing this volume now in an affordable, modern, high-quality edition complete with a specially-commissioned new biography of the author and introduction on winemaking.