503 puny's NATURAL HISTORY. [Book XVII. 



site for the growth of each, we have already treated 38 of them, 

 when enumerating the several varieties of the vine and the 

 wines which they produce. 



With reference to other points connected with the culture 

 of the vine, there are very considerable doubts. Many per- 

 sons recommend that the vineyard should be turned up with 

 the spade after every dew that falls in the summer. Others, 

 again, forbid this practice when the vine is in bud ; for the 

 clothes, they say, of the people coming and going to and fro 

 are apt to catch the buds, and either knock or rub them off; 

 it is for this reason, too, that they are so careful to keep all 

 animals away from the vines, those with long wool in parti- 

 cular, as it is very apt to pull off the buds. Raking, too, 

 they say, is very injurious to the vine while the grape is form- 

 ing ; and it will be quite sufficient, they assure us, if the 

 ground is turned up three times in the year, after the vernal 

 equinox — first, at the rising of the Vergiliae, 39 the second at 

 the rising of the Dog-star, and the third time just as the grape 

 is turning black. Some persons make it a rule that an old 

 vineyard shall have one turning up between the time of vin- 

 tage and the winter solstice, though others, again, are of opi- 

 nion that it is quite sufficient to bare the roots and manure 

 them. They turn up the ground again after the ides of April, 40 

 but before the time for germination, or, in other words, the 

 sixth of the ides of May ; 41 then again before the tree begins 

 to blossom, after it has shed its blossom, and, last of all, 

 when the grape is just on the turn. The most skilful growers 

 say that if the ground is dug up oftener than necessary, the 

 grapes will become so remarkably thin-skinned as to burst. 

 When the ground is turned up, care should be taken to do it 

 before the hot hours of the day ; a clayey soil, too, should 

 never be ploughed or dug. The dust that is raised in digging 

 is beneficial 42 to the vine, it is said, by protecting it from the 

 heat of the sun and the injurious effects of fogs. 



The spring clearing ought to be done, it is universally ad- 

 mitted, within ten days after the ides of May, 43 and before the 



38 In B.xiv. cc. 4 and 5. 39 B. xviii. c. 66. 



40 13th of April 41 10th of May. 



42 A mere puerility — the dust, in fact, "being injurious to the grape, by 

 obstructing the natural action of heat and humidity. 



4:5 15th of May. This clearing of the leaves, though still practised, Fee 

 says, is by no means beneficial ; the only result is, that the grapes become 



