ON THE TRAINING OF VINES. 



89 



CHAPTER X. 



ON THE TRAINING OF VINES. 



To train a vine on the surface of a wall, is to regu- 

 late the position of its branches, the principal objects 

 of which are, to protect them from the influence of the 

 wind ; to bring them into close contact with the wall, 

 for the purpose of receiving the benefit of its warmth ; 

 to spread them at proper distances from each other, 

 that the foliage and fruit may receive the full effect of 

 the sun's rays ; and to retard the motion of the sap, 

 for the purpose of inducing the formation of fruit-buds. 



The flow of sap, it must be remembered, is always 

 strongest in a vertical direction, and weakest in a 

 downward one ; thus, if a shoot be trained in the di- 

 fig, 1, the sap will ascend with the 



rection 



of a, 



H* 



