56 INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF VITICULTURE 



With the Umbrella Kniffen (Fig. 2), the stem is brought up to the top 

 wire in the same manner as with the Single Stem and a head formed just 

 below it. When the vines are pruned at the close of the third year, all the 

 canes are cut away, but two at the head of the vine and two renewal spurs. 

 The canes are left long enough so that they can be carried up over the top 

 wire and then obliquely down to the lower, where they are tied to it just 

 above the last bud. The carrying of the canes over the upper wire lends 

 considerable support to the stem and firmly fixes the canes, so that they are 

 rarely blown down. The renewal spurs may furnish the canes for the year 

 coming, or they may be gotten from the basal shoots of the canes of the 

 previous year. The same attention to the maintenance of a goodly supply 

 of renewal spurs should be given as in the Single Stem Kniffen. The amount 

 of fruiting wood put up each year with this system is considerably less, how- 

 ever, so that the yield will be somewhat less. 



Pig. 3. Two-stem Kniffen System. 



The Two-Stem Kniffen (Fig. 3), as the term implies, maintains two 

 stems instead of one, as in the preceding systems. One is carried to the 

 top wire as before described, where the fruiting canes are taken off in 

 exactly the same manner as with the others. The second stem, however, 

 reaches only to the lower wire or preferably just below it. At this level 

 two canes are tied to it. In a typical vine both stems arise at or near the 

 ground level. In another modification of the Kniffen, the Y stem, the point 

 of divergence is midway between the ground and the lower wire. The 

 methods for pruning and maintenance of fruiting wood is the same as with 

 the Single-Stem Kniffen, except that each stem supports but two canes and 

 two spurs. The canes are tied to the two wires exactly the same. 



