52 



The Canadian Horticulturist. 



KNIFFEN SYSTEM OF PRUNING. 



Owing to pressure of work among fruit growers in the autumn months 

 pruning the vine is not usually accomplished until the early spring ; but often 

 during the mild spells of winter, it is possible to make a little progress in this 

 work in advance, and thus ease us a little of our hurry later on. In previous 

 issues of this journal we have given a description of the Kniffen system of prun- 

 ing. This method we do not recommend as the best. We ourselves, practice 

 for the most part, the renewal system, building our trellises of three wires and 

 s; treading our two arms on the bottom wire, from which uprights are allowed 

 to grow, usually about six to each vine. 



The Kniffen system is practised by many of the Niagara district fruit growers, 

 and a method which requires less labor than perhaps any other. A writer in 

 Popular Gardening, some time ago, recommended it as well adapted for such 

 strong growers as the Niagara and the Concord. His plan was to make his 

 trellis with two wires, the first about two feet above the ground, and the next 

 about three and a-half feet. Two arms are trained upon each of these wires, 

 and at each season's pruning the young wood is cut back to these arms, leaving 

 one or two buds at the base of the branches. (See Fig. 504.) 



D. S. Marvin, of New York State, 

 calls the Kniffen system the lazy man's 

 method, because it brings fairly good 

 results, with little attention. One of 

 his objections to the system is, that 

 the strongest growth is usually at the 

 end of the vine, that is the point 

 of the upper arms, and gradually the 

 lower arms become weak. A good 

 plan for avoiding this was proposed by 

 Mr. Marvin. He says that it can be 

 overcome by starting two canes from 

 the ground instead of one, (as in Fig. 

 504). By this means the sap flows into 

 the lower arm just as vigorously as it 

 does into the upper, and so there is a 

 decided improvement. 



He has another objection to it, 



and that is, the resin in the sap of our 



native varieties will sooner or later clog 



and fill the circulatory ducts of all old wood above ground. A difficulty which 



can only be avoided by the renewal system. 



