1282 THE FRUIT INDUSTRY IN NEW YORK STATE 



the wood produced, will not allow of the pruning necessary to 

 train to a desired system. The subject of pruning and train- 

 ing therefore becomes largely a matter of judgment with the vine- 

 yardist. He alone is best able to judge how much pruning each 

 vine in his vineyard should receive, and the system of training by 

 which the wood can be put up to the best advantage. If the vines 

 are vigorous, it becomes optional with the grower, although there 

 is no doubt that certain varieties do best when trained to a cer- 

 tain type. It is generally agreed, for example, that strong- 

 growing varieties, such as Concord and ISTiagara, do best when 

 trained to the drooping type; while the weaker and slower-grow- 

 ing, .such as the Delaware, can be best trained to some form of the 

 upright type, other conditions being the same. Perhaps it should 

 be stated that the terms applied to these various types refer to 

 the position the bearing shoots assume, rather than to that of 

 the canes. The drooping type and the upright are commonly 

 used today, while the horizontal has generally been discarded. 



Drooping Type. The Kniffen system and its modifications are 

 representative of this mode of training. The growing shoots of 

 the season are not tied, but are allowed to hang free. In this 

 respect, it is economical, since no summer tying is necessary; 

 while the pendant position so places the clusters that there is 

 less liability to sun scald. 



Single-stem, Fou^cane Kniffen. In this system a single trunk 

 or stem is carried directly to the top of the trellis. With strong 

 vines this can be done in the third year after setting; but with 

 weak ones, a year later is better. One wire is placed at a 

 height of from five and one-half to six feet above the ground, 

 the lower wire being from three to three and one-half feet above 

 the ground. Two canes are taken from side spurs on the trunk 

 at the level of each wire, or just below the wire. The two upper 

 canes are left longer than are the two on the lower wire, since, 

 if this is not done, there is a tendency for rank, long- jointed 

 canes, growth being most vigorous at the extremity of the stem. 

 The trunk or stem is tied firmly to each wire and is kept in this 

 position permanently. Each spring the four canes left after 

 pruning are tied to the right and left of the stem along each 

 wire. 



