158 TREATISE ON THE 



this Canton, which is to defer the operation to so 

 late, that the branches are generally eighteen 

 inches in length, and have acquired such a 

 length at the expense of the vineyard and the 

 vintage. 



It is, however, but fair to observe, that where 

 this work is done at too early a period of the 

 season, a danger is incurred of detaching the 

 shoots best calculated for the fruit bearing 

 branches of the succeeding year, and to form also 

 the effective stock heading of the next season, it 

 being extremely difficult to discriminate thus 

 early, the character of the spring vegetation not 

 being fairly developed. This inconvenience 

 which is certainly to be avoided, is however 

 trifling in comparison to the advantage derived 

 from a performance of the work at a proper pe- 

 riod, by the immense importance of the preser- 

 vation of the circulating fluid, as the sap is the 

 primary source of the prosperity of the vine and 

 its, productions. 



Let the acute observer make the experiment 

 for himself, and judge from the results. He will 

 see the severe exhaustion of the plants, the strip- 

 ping of which has been injudiciously performed 

 out of time, and he cannot fail to be struck with 

 the difference between the languishing appear- 

 ance of such, as contrasted with the exuberant 

 branches and healthful condition of those which 

 have received this work in the early part of the 

 season. I repeat, that the work performed in the 

 spring possesses inappreciable advantages, as at a 

 later period the wound left by the detached 

 branches will be larger, the sap vessels more di- 



