Vine PriDiiiig. 



43 



like a " V," each arm carrying- a long rod B B' (Fig. 41) termed aste, 

 and a spur with two eyes C C called cot. The object of the cot is to 

 produce rods to replace the astc 



Vertical shoots, named tirets T T' (Fig. 42), are sometimes 

 substituted for the cots, and fastened to the horizontal laths of the 

 trellis, all the eyes, except the two base ones, being rubbed out. This 

 modification offers a certain advantage, for the replacement shoots, 

 growing vertically, become much stronger than if grown in any other 

 position, and form excellent canes to replace the old rods after they 

 have borne a crop. 



The mode of training vines in Medoc is extremely simple. The 

 plants are spread evenly on both sides, supported by small frames 

 formed of three short vertical stakes, 15 inches in height, joined by a 



- ^:^^i.:^:p^^^^ ! Si^:}'^if~^^ ] ^:^;fy^^^^^^S^^^^ 



Fig. 42. 

 Medoc vine with two long rods and two tirets (after Foex). 



light lath fastened horizontally at their extremities. When the vine 

 is three years old, two arms S S' (Fig. 41) are formed, each carrying 

 a cane with from three to five eyes according to the vigour of the vine, 

 that is to say, the whole length of the cane is retained with three to 

 five base eyes, all other eyes being removed. This allows the cane to 

 be fastened on to the little frame. To avoid the elongation of these 

 arms, shoots C C, grown on the old wood, are pruned with two eyes 

 during two years and the arms S S' are pruned back above these, 

 which constitute new arms. 



If the vine is too old it is pruned back or lowered more severely. 

 One of the shoots growing naturally on the trunk is retained and 

 pruned with one eye. It gives a vigorous shoot, which is pruned the 

 following spring with two eyes, and the old arm is pruned above this 

 spur, which forms the new arm. 



Different summer prunings are practised in these vineyards. 

 All suckers growing on old wood or under the collar of the plant are 

 removed (disbudding and suckering). At the flowering season the 

 green shoots are cut back with a kind of long-handled sickle ; they 

 are all cut at an even height (topped) and regularly trimmed on the 

 side (slashed). These operations are sometimes repeated in July='= 

 before the vintage. 



If the season is very wet, and the vegetation, luxuriant, the leaves 

 are stripped to gradually expose the grapes to the solar rays, and 

 enable them to ripen easier. 



'January in Victoria. 



