1 888. 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



69 



these, but appears to be of great promiBe/.being 

 early, productive, and quality good. 



Chnrks Dtnrning Pittato. This is one of the 

 latest introduction and was originated in Ver- 

 mont three years ajfo. It has not yet been 

 largely disseminated, but wherever it has been 

 tried as an early productive Potato it ranks very 

 highly. In our tests the fli'st season, as to earli- 

 ness, productiveness, and freedom from disease, ) 

 and also as to the flnest table qualities, this va- i 

 riety led all others. 



Queen of the Vattey. A medium early variety, 

 immense yielder, tubers large and even in size, 

 with but few small ones. Quality dry and mealy 

 and of very fine flavor. The past season, in com- 



A muluh of a few forkfuls of coarse manure 

 or straw should be scattered over the roots to 

 protect them, both at the approach of the first 

 and second winters in cold climates, as the roots 

 of young ^■ines are particularly tender. 



Seciind Year. In the spring plow to a back 

 furrow in the center and uncover any vines 

 plowed under. When the new canes are a fen- 

 inches long rub off all but the strongest, giving 

 lircference to one nearlhe ground. Pinch the ends 

 of all canes which are making a thrifty growth 

 when about three feet long. This will start the 

 laterals desired for fruit upon the first wire ne.xt 

 season. If the \ine is weak, allow it to gi-ow in a 

 single cane. On the other hand, if your vine- 



f':s^ i. 



THE KNIFFEN SYSTEM OF TRAINING, UP TO THE FRUITING STAGE. 



mon with all late varieties, this has rotted badly. 



Emi>ire State. Originated in New York State; 

 and was introduced a few years .since as the best 

 late Potato in cultivation. This .yields immense 

 crops of large white tubers, late in season, but 

 very white and dry when cooked for the table, 

 of excellent flavor. Crop the past season almost 

 a total f ailui-e from rot. 



Dakota Bed. A very large sized late variety. 

 In my trials it has not given me satisfaction. 

 Although an immense producer, the tubers are 

 apt to be watery and coarse in texture, and 

 does not sell as readily as most others. 



The Kniffen System of Vineyard 

 Management. 



H. P. VAN DU3EN, NEWARK, N. Y. 



Thousands of acres trained by this method are 

 giring general satisfaction. The system is es- 

 pecially adapted to the strong, heavy bearing, 

 straight growers, and not as well to weak grow- 

 ing sorts or such as are liable to drop or ripen 

 their leaves early. 



Tying up the green wood during growth, as in 

 the Fuller System, produces more and better 

 wood, as a ^^ne grows much stronger thus than 

 if checked by hanging down, as in the present 

 system There is also more danger of the leaves 

 ripening or dropping if the growth is cheeked. 

 For that reason it would, as in the latter system, 

 not be as good for the Delaware, Catawba or 

 Lady, and just the thing for the Niagara or Con- 

 cord. For the same reasons it would be better 

 adapted to rich land than poor. Let it be added 

 that checking the growth of rines which grow 

 strong from any cause increases the quantity 

 and quality of the fruit. 



In the Kniflen system of training but two 

 wires are used. The first is 3 to 3 )^ feet above 

 the ground (I consider the latter better), and 

 the second 2 to 2H above it. The wires are thus 

 sufllciently high to keep the fruit free from 

 dirt, to provide a free circulation of air, and you 

 can pass easily under them from row to row. 



Preparation. In preparing for a vineyard the 

 land should be plowed as deeply as possible. A 

 subsoil plow following and loosening from IB to 

 18 inches deep is still Ixjtter. A \ineyard once 

 planted is planted for ages, and it pays to do it 

 well. The roots should be set at least 12 inches 

 in the ground, and in very light soil, or exposed 

 places still deeper, with 3 or 4 inches of surface 

 soil beneath them. A few wood ashes, or two or 

 three handf uls of a phosphate containing plenty 

 of potash, sprinkled in the bottom of each hole at 

 planting before putting in the surface soil re- 

 ferred to, will assist the young vines. Digging 

 lor planting can largely be done with the plow. 



First Ye.ah. When the buds on the newly set 

 vines ha\e started a few inches, usually at time 

 of first hoeing, cut off all but the strongest, 

 causing the rine to grow to a single cane. (Fig. 

 1.) After the leaves are off in the fall, cut close 

 all except the strongest cane and cut that back 

 to within three buds of the ground. Plow the 

 ground towards the Wnes, plowing to a dead 

 furrow. It is better not to plow at all than to 

 turn but a single furrow against the vines. 



.yard or a vine has made a very strong growth, 

 permitting of three well ripened fruiting later- 

 als, (see Fig. 3), and you desire to take fruit from 

 both wires the next season, you then select the 

 two nearest the end for the lower wire, as be- 

 fore. Select another lateral below or nearer the 

 ground, for binding on upper wire to leave from 

 2 to 6 buds. The trimming in either case may be 

 done in the fall after the loaves are oft, or dur- 

 ing the winter or early sprini.i:, and should leave 

 the vines as shown in 2 and 3 respectively. 



Third Year.— Two good laterals nearest the 

 end of the 3-foot upright cane of the pre\ious ! in including in this article 



year having now been selected for fruiting on 

 the lower wire; these should be cut back to from 

 4 to 7 buds each, and all other branches either on 

 the arms or center vine be cut off. This will 

 leave the vine looking Uke Figure 2 without the 

 upper cane. In the case, however, of very strong 

 vines, as referred to above, in which three bear- 

 ing laterals are to be pro\nded, the appearance 

 should be like figure 2 as it now is, namely, two 

 laterals for the lower vine and one reaching to 

 the upper, all of which should in general be 

 treated alike. Vines of weaker growth haring 

 but a single cane, of fair growth and well ripened 

 wood, such can be left from three to four feet 

 long and tied to the first wire for fruit. In all 

 other cases of weaker growth cut vines back to 



which starts below the arms. Rub off all other 

 new canes below them. At the end of the third 

 season you will, with having three gi-ades of 

 vines, as referred to, find the weaker ones ap- 

 pearing about like Figure 2, the fairly vigorous 

 like Mgure 4, and the stronger ones that were 

 proviiled with a third lateral for the upper wire, 

 like Figure li. Following the end of this season 

 each grade should be trimmed as indicated by 

 the cross lines, and this will leave them like Fig- 

 ures 3, '} and 7 for fruiting the next year sepa- 

 rately. It is well to cut a lateral or two back to 

 one bud. as in Figure (». when you would like an 

 arm next year. Then you are quite certain to 

 get it. When buds are well started, during this 

 and each succeeding year rub off all which start 

 below the division in the vine below the wires. 

 Alwa.vs t^ike the arms for lower wire from the 

 short arm of the permanent vine. 



Later Years. At the end of the fourth and 

 each succeeding year cut the arms which have 

 carried the fruit back as close as possible, and 

 leax'e arms for the succeeding year. If you do 

 not find a good arm starting close to the center 

 \1ne, take the first of the good laterals starting 

 from the arm, cutting back to it. Its having had 

 fruit on is no objection. 



Always select for fruit the well ripened, and 

 other things being equal, take the shortest jointed 

 wood of medium size. From H to ^ inches in 

 diameter are better than larger. Avoid the extra 

 large thrifty, long jointed canes. By examina- 

 tion you will find that such have long buds. They 

 are not as sure to start, and will not produce as 

 much or as fine fruit. If you have no other ex- 

 cept such large canes cut the laterals which you 

 ai'e quite sure to find growing from it back to 

 two buds, leaving in all about as many buds. 



Beyond the pruning thus suggested some sum- 

 mer pruning, intelligently done, will increase 

 both the quahty and quantity of the crop. To 

 show when it should and should not be done 

 would require more space than I feel warranted 

 Cultivate a vineyard 



well dui-ing the early part of the season, or stiU 

 better, plow it shallow until the middle of July, 

 but not later than August 1st. The last plowing 

 turn towards the vines and sow rye or oats, to be 

 plowed under in spring. This will increase the 

 fertilit.v of the soil and give the roots a fine win- 

 ter protection. 



I/Caving a permanent branch on the vine below 

 the wires, from which to take arms for the lower 

 wire, is a modification of the Kniffen systen, cor- 

 rects its most serious defect and ensures the same 

 growth and amount of fruit upon the lower as 

 upon the upper wire. In the original method 

 5'ou have but one straight vine from the ground 

 to the upper wire and the lower laterals are 

 taken directly from its side. The objection to 



THE KNIFFEN SYSTEM OF TRAINING BEARING VINES. 



3 buds, the same as the first fall. This will in the 

 end make a more choice and even vinejard. 



During the third summer the vines of weaker 

 growth which were cut to 3 buds above ground 

 should be handled the same as directed for 

 second year for moderately thrifty vines. 



Vines which have laterals for fruit on the first 

 wire only must be trained to have an arm pre- 

 pared for the upi>er wire by selecting a new cane 



this is that the sap will always flow more freely 

 to the end of the vine, making the strongest 

 growth {and the largest i>art of the fruit) on the 

 upper wire. I )ften with a large amount of growth 

 on the upper wire there is not sufficient below 

 from which to select go(td fruit arms. With this 

 Iiermanent divisitin in the old wood the sap flows 

 as freely in the lower as in the upper arm, which 

 increases the cai)ncity of the vine. 



