BOOK XVII. xxw. 174-177 



Tlie best props for vine are those of which we have Pmpsand 

 spoken," or else stakes from hard-oak and oHve or if "■"**■''«"• 

 they are not available, props obtained from the 

 jiiniper, cvpress, laburnum *" or ekler. Staves of all 

 olher kinds must be cut back every year. For the 

 cross-bar, reeds tied togethcr in bundles are best for 

 the growth of the vine, and they last five years. 

 When shorter branches are tied together with brush- 

 wood so as to make a sort of rope, the arcades 

 madc of them are called ropc-trelHses. 



In its third year a vine sends out a quick-growing Pmning, 

 strong sprig (which in time becomes a tree) ; and this [',nu%)'ng. 

 leaps up to the cross-bar. Thereupon some growers 

 ' bHnd ' it by removing the eyes witli a pruning- 

 knifc turned upward, with the object of making it 

 grow longer — a most damaging practice, as the tree's 

 habit of putting out shoots is more profilablc, and it 

 is better to trim off leafv shoots from tlie plant tied 

 to the cross-bar to the point wliere it is dccided 

 to let it make strength. Some peo])le forbid touching 

 it in the year after it is transplantcd, and do not aUow 

 it to be trimnied with a pruning-knife tiH after 5 

 vears, but then advise cutting it back to three buds. 

 Others prune it back even the next year, but so as 

 to let it add threc or four new joints every year, 

 and finally bring it up to the level of the cross-bar 

 in the fourth year. Both methods make the tree 

 slow to fruit, and also shrivellcd and knotty, with the 

 growth natural to dwarfs. But it is best for the 

 mother to be strong and for tlic new growth to strike 

 out boldly. Also thcre is no safety in a shoot covered 

 with scars — that idea is a great mistake, due to 

 inexperience : any growth of that sort arises from 

 a blow, it is not duc to tlu* mothcr vine. She should 



