46 



Agricultural Journal of Victoria. 



uot svibject to tliose malformations generally noticeable on trained vines 

 with, one single long rod. And this is why the general tendency is 

 now to give greater development to the vine by leaving several arms 

 with rods and spurs (Fig. 51). 



The vineyards of Gironde offer an example of an intelligent 

 association of long and short pruning. In Medoc, Graves, Palus, and 

 Cotes the ruling method is that which combines the rod and spur. 



The system in which vines are trained symmetrically and horizon- 

 tally on both sides of the stump is difficult to maintain equal, as 

 the sap often flows more towards the one arm than the other, one arm 

 becoming stronger and the other weaker. This is Avhy the vignerons 



of Medoc find great difficulty in maintain- 

 ing the two arms of their vines perfectly 



equal. 



This difficulty would be lessened if the 



vines reached large dimeiisions, as in Isere 



and Savoie ; but, when they are trained low, 



the sap has a tendency to rush more on one 



side than the other 

 The spalier, trained 



on stakes or wires, 



adopted in Gironde, 



answers perfectly well 



the special conditions 



of its climate. It allows 



free aeration, necessary 



in such a damp district, 



and, further, the 



gra2:)es, well exposed to 



the action of the solar 



rays, ripen evenly. 

 To sum up, the 



vineyards of Gironde 



are trained on the 



spalier system, with long rods, generally 



Fig. 50, 



Vine pruned after the old system 

 in St. Emilion (after Foex). 



Vine pruned after the new 

 system in St. Emilion. 



accompanied by replacing spurs. 



VII. — Peuning in the Pyrenees. 



The Pyreneen region forms a group of vineyards fairly well charac- 

 terised as a whole by climate, methods of culture, and cepages. 



The northern part of this region, situated on the northern side of 

 the Pyrenees ranges, is the coldest. It is exposed to intense cold in 

 winter and frosts in spring ; hail is of frequent occurrence, and often 

 causes great damage. Excejot in rare situations where the temperature 

 is warm and constant, a few special varieties only can be cultivated — 

 hose of the north and centre of France. Gironde impressed its 

 characters on all this vast viticultural country, and its general methods 

 only differ in special points of detail. 



