THE GRAPE 



119 



ends, two good posts are made of what usually makes 

 but one. The posts are set from twenty to thirty feet 

 apart, according to the weight of the vines, or even a 

 greater distance, and small stakes are put in between. 

 Two or three wires are used for the support of the vines, 

 according to the method of training. If the vines are 

 trained as in Figure 65, known as the Kniffin system, 

 only two wires are needed, but if more than two 

 canes are grown, more wires will be needed. Wire 

 makes the best support, as it is the cheapest, the 

 most durable, and the vines will support themselves 

 more or less by their tendrils without tying. Fo. 14 

 and No. 16 galvanized wire are the sizes most in use. 

 The wires are fas- 

 tened to the posts 

 or stakes by the 

 common wire fence 

 staples, the top wire 

 being placed on the 

 top of the post. 

 The hight of the 

 posts varies in dif- 

 ferent localities from five to six feet and they should 

 be planted from three to three and one-half feet deep, 

 to be beyond the action of frost. Chestnut and cedar 

 posts will last from twelve to fifteen years, and should 

 be renewed before quite rotted off, that the weight of 

 the vines does not break them over when loaded with 

 fruit. The wires are stretched on the trellis with the 

 common wire fence stretcher. Many devices are 

 employed to brace the end posts; the most common 

 perhaps is to put in a short post six to eight feet from 

 the end of trellis and brace to that. Another is to 

 run the wire over the end post and sink a heavy 

 stone about three feet deep around which the wire is 

 wound, as shown in Figure 66. This latter method 



PijC. 65— The Kniffin System of Grape 

 Trainine 



