337 



THE VINEYARD. 



Vine cuttings, preserved since the time of pruning, as directed 

 in page 246, may yet be planted in the method pointed out in page 

 l 247; and all the other work, directed to be done in the vineyard 

 in March, should now be finished as early as possible. Rooted 

 plants may also be planted out into rows at proper distances, but 

 the earlier in the month the better. 



If neglected last month you must early in this, before the buds 

 begin to shoot, either plough, dig, or deeply hoe the ground between 

 the vines. This is indispensable^ the surface must always be kept 

 loose, clean, and free from weeds, or the consequence will be the 

 having of few fruit, and these of a bad and insipid quality. Keep- 

 ing the earth loose and pulverized, by frequent working, will cause 

 it to attract the dews, imbibe the rains freely, when such occur, 

 and consequently to be constantly stored with a sufficient supply 

 of nourishment for the plants and fruit; and moreover the reflection 

 of the sun, from the clean surface, will dry and dissipate the damps 

 that would otherwise cause the fruit to become mildewed, and ren- 

 der their quality crude and insipid. 



In looking over the vines, about the end of the month, observe 

 to displace such young shoots or prominent buds as appear useless, 

 or promise to be injurious to those intended for bearing fruit. Many 

 small weakly shoots generally arise from the old stocks or branches, 

 that seldom'produce fruit, and are supernumerary; such should be 

 rubbed oft* close, except in places where a supply of new wood or 

 shoots for next year's bearing are wanted; in which case a suitable 

 number should be carefully preserved. This operation ought, at 

 this time, to be performed with the finger and thumb, nipping or 

 rubbing them off* close to where produced. 



Where two shoots arise from one bud, take the worst away, the 

 remaining one will grow stronger, and its fruit be numerous and 

 large in proportion. 



The vines should now have stakes placed to them, such as are 

 directed to be made in page 48, and any old or decayed poles re- 

 placed with new, if not done in the former months, in order to tie 

 and train the young advancing shoots thereto. 



Any very long shoots of the last year, left upon strong and esta- 

 blished stocks, for fruiting more abundantly, as directed in page 147, 

 may, about the first of this month, when the sap has arisen, and the 

 shoots become pliant, be bent round the stake, in the form of a 

 hoop, and made fast thereto with a willow twig, &c, by this method 

 it will break out into fruit more abundantly, and produce a less 

 luxuriancy of wood, than if left in the ordinary way; but it must be 

 bent gently, so as not to crack the bark, lest it should bleed and be 

 weakened thereby, or become totally abortive. 

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