70 



American Grape Training. 



The Six- Cane Kniffin. — There are many old vine- 

 yards in eastern New York which are trained upon 

 a six-cane or three-wire system. The general prun- 

 ning and management of these vines do not differ 

 from that of the common Kniffin. Very strong va- 

 rieties which can carry an abundance of wood, 

 may be profitable upon this style of training, but 

 it cannot be recommended. A Concord vineyard 

 over thirty years old, comprising 295 vines, trained 

 in this fashion, is still thrifty and productive. 

 Twice it has produced crops of six tons. 



Eight- Cane Kniffin. — Eight and even ten canes 

 are sometimes left upon a single trunk, and are 

 trained out horizontally or somewhat obliquely, as 



27. EIGHT-CANK KNIFFIN. (Diagram.) 



shown in the accompanying diagram (fig. 27). 

 Unless these canes are cut back to four or five buds 

 each, the vine carries too much wood and fruit. 



