New York Agricultural Experiment Station. 515 



to grow up in the center where none grow on vines trained on the 

 Kniffin system the ring may be made closer to the renewal bud 

 with less danger of injuring the vine. This is due to the larger 

 amount of leaf surface left to build up the vine when trained on 

 the renewal system. 



In these experiments the ring was made just beyond" the renewal 

 bud. All vines were ringed June 29, 1896. The following notes 

 were taken August 29: 



Concord. — Bunches are noticeably larger and more compact, with 

 larger berries on the ringed vines; now ripe. Two vines had but 

 one arm ringed; the bunches on these arms are larger and com- 

 pact while on the unringed arms on the same vine the clusters are 

 small, loose and unripe. 



Catawba. — Fruit on ringed vines will evidently be quite a little 

 earlier. 



Delaware.- — Fruit quite a little larger in bunch and berry but 

 no earlier in ripening and not as good in quality as on unringed 

 vines. 



Geneva. — Was able to pick out the ringed vines by the appear- 

 ance of the fruit. The bunches on these vines were uniformly 

 large and compact. Berries a little larger but much poorer in 

 quality, quite sour as compared with fruit on unringed vines. 



Niagara. — Bunch and berry on ringed vines are larger and finer 

 in appearance ; a little earlier in ripening. Not as good in quality, 

 more acid than fruit on unringed vines. 



In 1897 the ends of the ringed canes on part of the vines were 

 cut back in order to see if this would make any difference in the 

 quality of the fruit, the theory being that if the food required by 

 the new growth could be made available to the fruit it would tend 

 to produce better quality. 



All vines were ringed June 29. The following notes were 

 taken September 1 : 



Champion. — Bunch and berry at least one-third larger than on 

 unringed vines. 



