ON THE PRUNING OF VINES. 73 



to distend all the vessels in the stem and the branches, 

 the buds begin to elongate and imfold. This takes 

 place in general about the vernal equinox. From this 

 time the fluid becoming more expanded every hour, 

 its ascent is simultaneously increased in force and 

 velocity. The vessels in the branches being filled to 

 repletion, the buds quickly open, and shoots and 

 leaves rapidly protrude. The beginning of May 

 arrives, and by that time the sap being in full motion, 

 all is life, vigor, and activity, from one extremity of 

 the vine to the other. 



The leaves attract the sap as soon as it reaches 

 their vicinity, and by one of the most wonderful pro- 

 cesses that can be conceived, the result of exquisite 

 organization, elaborate and prepare it, and render it 

 fit for the nourishment of all the parts of the plant. 

 The sap after being thus prepared, is called \he projjer 

 jidce of the plant. It then returns downwards be- 

 twixt the bark and the alburnum, and in its descent 

 is distributed laterally to every part of the plant, until 

 it finally reaches the extremities of the roots. During 

 its descent, a considerable portion of it is expended 

 in the formation of a concentric layer of woody sub- 

 stance betwixt the bark and the wood, on every 

 branch, and also on the stem, which layer becomes 

 the new alburnum. 



Now it is of importance to remember, that eve?y 

 branch annually requires this new concentric layer; 

 — that this layer is formed from the proper juice pre- 

 pared in the leaves; — and that the thickness or thin- 

 ness of this layer depends on the proportion, which 

 the quantity of proper juice so prepared, bears to the 

 number, length, and size of the branclies, which it 

 has in its descent to cover and feed. 



If, therefore, the foliage of a vine be strong and 

 vigorous in its growth, and there be no naked branches 

 betwixt the stem and the shoots which produce the 

 foliage; then the proper juice in its descent will de- 

 posit on the stem a thick layer, and will aUo descend 

 into the roots in great quantity. But if there be a 

 7 



