134 MANUAL OF AMERICAN GRAPE-GROWING 



the trunk so that they cannot slip out of the twine. Ordi- 

 narily tying at this time is sufficient for the year, but if con- 

 ditions for growth are unfavorable, the twine may rot before 

 the tendrils take hold of the wires, and a partial second tying 

 may be necessary. 



After the fourth season, the pruner has greater choice of fruit- 

 ing-wood for the following year. It may be chosen from the 

 basal canes of the preceding year's wood or the canes that 

 develop from the spurs may be used. The choice should 

 depend on the accessibility and maturity of the wood. At 

 each pruning, the possibilities for obtaining fruiting wood for 

 the following year must receive consideration. It is possible 

 to use the same spurs for two or three years, but after this they 

 should be cut away and new ones retained. After the first 

 spurring; spurs should be selected from wood older than two 

 years. The shoots from such wood bear but little fruit and 

 hence make good fruiting canes for the next year. 



Umbrella Kniffin. 



Since most of the fruit on vines trained by the Four-cane 

 Kniffin method is borne on the two upper canes, some growers 



in the Hudson River 

 Valley dispense with 

 the lower canes and 

 cut the upper ones 

 long enough to bear 

 the crop. In this 

 method the trunk is 

 brought to the top 

 wire and the head 

 formed as in the Four- 



FIG. 19. Umbrella method of training. T ^ _ TT1 



cane Kniffin. When 



the vines are pruned at the close of the third year, two long 

 canes are left at the head of the vine with two renewal spurs. 



