The Grape-Vine 



235 



twelve to sixteen inches with a wooden or iron planting-stick. The labourer places his foot 

 on the cross-bar of the planting-stick, pressing the latter into the ground to the required 

 depth, and then plants the cutting in the hole, which is filled up with fine earth and easily 

 assimilated manure. In other vineyards the spade is employed for making the hole, the 

 advantage of this method being that the larger hole allows of more fine earth and manure 

 being placed in the immediate vicinity of the young plant, which forms under these circum- 

 . stances a much more satisfactory root-system. A- third method of trenching is also commonly 

 practised, in which the plants are placed at regular intervals in trenches previously prepared, 

 which are subsequently filled in with the earth from the trench immediately in front. 

 The distances between the vines is in all cases determined by several factors, the. chief of 

 which are the fertility of the soil, the known requirements of the variety planted, and last, 

 but not least, the nature of the implements to be utilised in the subsequent cultivation of the 

 vineyard ; for it is obviously important that if water-carts and ploughs are to be used in the 

 vineyard while the crop is coming to maturity, sufficient room must be left between the rows 

 to allow of such cultivation. Various methods of training the vines are employed in different 

 ■countries. In north and central France the vines are supported by a strong stake of chestnut, 

 and such a method is commonly adopted in Germany and other countries! 



Perhaps the most important part of the cultivation of the vineyard after the plants are 

 well established consists in scientific pruning and efficient weeding. The pruning is performed 

 by highly trained vine-dressers, who use specially designed scissors for trimming the shoots ; 

 the system of pruning depends to a great extent upon local custom. Weeding generally is 

 •effected by ploughing or sometimes by hoeing, but it is essential that such ploughing should 

 not take place while the vine is in bloom, or the unavoidable shocks given to the plants result 

 in the fruit not being set. In small vineyards the weeding is done by hand, and although the 

 process is long and very fatiguing, since the labourer must use a short hoe, there is little doubt 

 that the plants run less risk of injury than when the plough is used. 



The Enemies of the Grape- Vine 



During its growth the grape-vine is exposed to the risk of attack from several destructive 

 •enemies belonging to both the vegetable and animal kingdoms. Some of the pests are so 

 rapid in their onslaught that when once they have obtained a hold on the plant it is quite 

 impossible to check their progress even if the most energetic remedies be resorted to ; on the 

 •other hand, many diseases 

 may be checked and even 

 avoided altogether by the 

 timely and vigorous adop- 

 tion of certain well-known 

 remedial measures. 



Snails, moths, plant lice, 

 leaf rollers, and numerous 

 •other insects do great damage 

 in the vineyard, and many 

 are the methods which have 

 been adopted by the cultiva- 

 tor to combat their ravages, 

 often with a considerable 

 amount of success. But 

 .great as is the damage done 

 by the above pests, their 

 •effects pale before the rav- 

 ages caused by the dreaded the grape harvest 



