VIN 



VIN 



475 



them Trom the filth they have con- 

 tracted. H!id if you find thern voiy 

 dry, let thcfu stand with the lower 

 pa;(& ill water six or eight hours, 

 which will distend their vessels, 

 and dispose them tc take root. 



'"Then, the ground heiiig pre 

 pared, the cuttings should be plan- 

 ted. Open the holes about six 

 feet distance from each other, put- 

 tiui^ one good strong cutting into 

 each hole, which should be laid a 

 little sloping, that their tops may 

 incline to the wall : It must be put 

 in so deep, that the uppermost eye 

 ma)^ be level with the surface of 

 the grouiid. 



" Having placed the cutting in 

 the ground, fill up the hole gently, 

 pressing down the earth with your 

 foot close about it, and raise a lit- 

 tle hill just upon the top of the cut- 

 ting, to cover the upper eye quite 

 over, which will prevent its drying. 

 Nothing more is necessary, but to 

 keep the ground clear from weeds 

 till the cuttings begin to shoot; at 

 whicli time look, over them careful- 

 ly, to rub off any small shoots, if 

 such are produced. You must 

 continue to look over them once in 

 three weeks during the summer 

 season, and rub off all lateral 

 shoots that are produced, and keep 

 the ground clear from weeds. 



'• The Michaelni^.s following, if 

 your cuttijigs have produced strong 

 shoots, prune them down to two, 

 eyes. Being rut thus early in au- 

 tuiaii, the wounds will heal before 

 the bad weather comes on, and the 

 root- will be strengthened. 



" hi ifio followiiig 'piing. gentiv 

 dig the bordeis, to loosen the cartii, 

 but be careful not to injure the roots 



of your vines. Also raise the earth 

 ujjto the stems of the plants, so as 

 • o cover the old wood, but not so 

 ieep as to cover either of the eyes 

 of the last year's wood. After this 

 they will require no further care till 

 they begin to shoot, when you 

 should look them over carefully, to 

 rub otr all weak dangling shoots 

 leaving no more than the two shoots 

 which are produced from the two 

 eyes of the last \ ear's wood, wliich 

 should be fastened to the wall. And 

 till the vines have done shooting 

 look them over in three or four 

 weeks, to rub off all the lateral 

 shoots as tliey are produced, and 

 to fasten the main shoots to the 

 wall as they are extended in length, 

 which must be shortened before 

 the middle or end of July, when 

 it will be proper to nip ofT their 

 tops, which will strengthen the 

 lower eyes. And during the sum- 

 mer keep the grouted clear from 

 weeds ; and permit no plant to 

 grow near the vines, which would 

 not only rob them of their nourish- 

 ment, but shade the lower parts of 

 their shoots, and prevent their ri- 

 pening: Which will not, only 

 cause their wood to be spongy and 

 luxuriant, but rniider it less fruitful. 

 " As soon as ti)e leaves begin to 

 drop in autumn^ prune these young 

 vines again, leaving three buds to 

 each of the shoc^ts, provided they 

 are strong : Otherwise shorten 

 thern down to two eyes : For it is 

 a very wrong practice to leave 

 much wood upon young vines, oi io 

 leave their shoots too long, as it 

 weakens tiicir roots. Then you 

 shoijld fasten them to the wall, 

 spreading them out horizontally 



