CULTIVATION OF THE VINE. 



163 



ration of tying, divide the work into two or ;hree 

 stages, beginning at the bottom, by attach ing first 

 the smallest shoots, then those next in size, and 

 finally, the large branches or heavy oars. This me- 

 thod is prejudicial to the growth of the plant, and 

 otherwise diminishes the prosperity of the harvest. 

 My objections to this mode of procedure are, 

 first, the lowest branches are kept constantly in 

 the shade, and draw out a feeble vegetation ; on 

 such the fruit is generally immature, and but 

 seldom ripens and never perfectly. The second 

 range is, in a great decree, deprived of the rays 

 of the sun from above, as well as the reflected 

 heat of the ground from beneath, forming an in- 

 terior foliage which cannot prosper, and which 

 should always be avoided. Superadded to the 

 reasons before cited, a confusion in the stripping 

 of the plants will ensue, by which the labour of 

 the operation will be increased, exposing at the 

 same time the fine foliage of the upper oars to 

 the dangers of an indiscriminating weeding, as it 

 is hardly to be expected that in this important 

 work a sufficient degree of care will be observed 

 by the ordinary workmen of the vineyard, to 

 avoid such mischief to the principal fruit bearing 

 branches. That the work may be well perform- 

 ed, the vigneron should proceed with system, 

 beginning in regular line with the headmost 

 plant, attaching and tying the branches below to 

 those above, then securing the larger branches to 

 the stake by which the, vine is supported.* By 



* The method in general use at the time our author wrote, 

 of having but one stake to each vine, is, where it can be afford- 

 ed, to be abandoned, and two stakes given to each plant.- TRANS. 



