GRAPE PRUNING AND TRAINING 315 



development of two or more lateral branches, one of 

 which may be trained in each direction upon its own wire 

 and tied loosely, all others being pinched out. If this 

 pinching of the tip should not be done at the proper time, 

 each cane at the annual pruning time should be sharply 

 bent and tied to its respective wire. When spring growth 

 begins this will commonly cause the pushing out of a 

 strong shoot at the point where the bend occurs. This 

 shoot may be trained out upon and loosely tied to the 

 wire in the opposite direction. 



The object in either case is to produce two main up- 

 right stems, one stopping at each wire, each with a T- 



FIG. 270— THE KNIFFIN SYSTEM OF TRAINING THE VINE SHOWN IN FIG 271 



shaped head whose branches run out horizontally upon 

 the wires. If the T head is complete at each wire at the 

 end of the second season, the horizontal canes, after the 

 wood is well matured, should be cut back in most cases 

 to not more than three or four buds each. In later years, 

 as the vine grows larger and stronger, the horizontal 

 canes may be left longer at each annual pruning. 

 Upon the opening of spring a strong shoot will com- 



