Chap. XII. O F T H E V I N E. 395 



" a good flate in feveral years, though they fliould be managed with 

 " all poffible /kill. 



" In March, the ground between the vines (hould be well dug as 

 *.' before, obferving not to injure their root by digging too deep near 

 *• them : but where there are Imall horizontal roots produced on or 

 " near the furface of the ground, they ihould be pruned off clofe to 

 <* the places where they are produced; thefe being what the vigne- 

 " rofis call day roots, and are by no means neceffary to be left on : ani 

 " after having dug the ground, the fl:ake /hould be placed down in 

 ** the following manner: on each fide of the vine fliould be a flake 

 *' put in at about iixteen inches from the root, to which the two 

 " branches, which were pruned to the three eyes, each for bearing, 

 ♦* fliould be fafhened, (obferving as was before direfted, not to draw 

 " them down too horizontally); then another taller flake fhould be 

 " placed down near the foot of the vine, to which the two flioots 

 " which were pruned down to two eyes, fhould be faflened, pro-' 

 " vided they are long enough for that purpofe : but if not, when 

 *' their eyes begin to flioot, thefe mufi: be trained upright to the 

 " flakes, to prevent their trailing on the ground, hanging over the 

 ** fruit branches, or being broken by the wind. 



" In May, the vines fhould be carefully looked over again, at 

 ** which time all weak lateral branches fliould be rubbed off as they 

 *• are produced; and thofe fhoots which fliew fruit, muflbe faflened 

 •* with bafs to the flakes to prevent their being broken, until they are' 

 *' extended to three joints beyond the fruit, when they fhould be 

 " flopped: but the flioots which are defigned for bearing the follow- 

 " ing feafbn, fhould be trained upright to the middle flake, by 

 " which method the fruit branches will not fhade thefe middle 

 " fhoots, nor will the middle fhoots fhade the fruit, fo that each 

 " will enjoy the benefit of fun and air. 



" This method fliould be repeated every fortnight or three weeks, 

 *' from the beginning of May, to the middle of July, which will al- 

 " ways keep the fhoots in their right pofition, whereby the leaves 

 " will not be inverted, which greatly retards the growth of the fruit; 

 " and by keeping the vines conflantly clear from horizontal flioots, 

 " the fruit will not be crouded with leaves, or fhaded, but will have 

 ** conflantly the advantage of the fun and air equally, which is of 

 " great confequence : for where the fruit is covered with thefe dang- 

 " ling fhoots in the fpring, and are afterwards expofed to the air, ' 

 *♦ either by divefling them of their leaves, or elfe difplacing their' 



E e e 2 <' branches 



