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THE CULTURE OP THE GRAPE. 157 



is not addicted to lieatli ; but if brambles, it is a good sign. 

 Where that shrub grows, such a ground is the most proper for 

 a vineyard ; and the declivity of a hill still better." 



Thus much for the situation and soil in the natural state. 

 He then goes on to say : " If your land is too rich, it only 

 permits the roots to shoot out the branches and leaves, but 

 less fruit ; the barren does not admit the roots to be so luxu- 

 riant, neither do they enter the earth so deep, by which 

 means they spread more towards the surface, and so give the 

 tender fibrous roots the benefit of receiving the natural sweet 

 and gentle showers, dews, &c., which imparts a pregnancy to 

 this plant, and do receive the cherishing warmth of the sun, 

 and is more impregnated with the volatile salts, which is 

 drunk by the delicate pores and apertures of the latent roots, 

 whilst those buried deeper are deprived of that benefit, and 

 grow only fertile in watery and insipid leaves without fruit, 

 and produces long and unbearing branches, whose joints admit 

 of no produce ; whereas the other will produce fruitful joints, 

 being very short, like to a joint of a man's finger, which are 

 the bearing branches. Now when you plant your vineyard, 

 let it be east and west, for the other position, north and south, 

 is not so good. 



" When you plant, dig your trench near a foot deep, and 

 about a yard asunder, for the more ease of going between 

 them to do the necessary work that is required in the several 

 seasons of the year ; then set your plants, — let them be 

 about a cubit long, having three or four eyes of the young 

 wood on them ; then plant them in the bottom of the trench, 

 a little sloping ; when done, cover them three or four inches 

 with the mould ; then level your ridges, that your sets may 

 just appear above the surface ; plant your sets something 

 more than two feet from each other ; after this, strew some of 

 the manure along the ridges, not too thick, which will pre- 

 serve them. Keep them weeded and hoed ; when they begin 

 to shoot, then set your props, of what wood you please, of 

 about four feet in length, and the thickness of a common 

 broomstick, placed on the north side of the plant." 



