284 LAYING BARE THE ROOT GIRDLING. 



to encourage the growth of the shoots ; and it also destroys 

 great multitudes of insects which usually shelter themselves 

 beneath it, and deprives others of the means of concealment 

 and preservation. Its general influence is to produce a greater 

 development of the plant, and it is therefore efficacious in 

 advancing its health, and increasing the quantity of the fruit. 

 I notice a procedure recommended by French authors, of 

 which I must acknowledge I cannot see the benefit. This is, 

 to remove the earth at the beginning of April from around 

 the stock to the depth of five or six inches or more, for the 

 purpose of destroying all suckers and superfluous roots. For 

 suppressing any shoots this procedure does not seem requisite, 

 as so very few ever make their appearance in that position, that 

 it would not be worth the labour, and as the few that may occa- 

 sionally appear can be otherwise removed with so much less 

 trouble. That the base of the vines should be entirely free 

 from suckers, all must agree in opinion, and if other less easy 

 methods are insufficient for success, then that of clearing the 

 soil away around the vines may be adopted ; but the vineyards 

 among us, so far as I have seen, are very little prone to form 

 an abundance of shoots beneath the surface of the ground. 

 As to suppressing any portion of the roots, I deem it an injury, 

 and therefore the practice in that respect is worse than useless, 

 for it may be taken as an axiom in horticulture, that the 

 more perfectly the roots are allowed to form and extend them- 

 selves, the more vigorous will be the plant and the more abun- 

 dant its produce. Some recommend also where the branches 

 on one side of a vine are more flourishing than on the other, 

 that a part of the roots be cut away on the luxuriant side, but 

 under such circumstances it is certainly more advantageous to 

 enrich the soil with manure near the part least vigorous, and 

 to thereby afford it sufficient nourishment to compete with the 

 other. 



Girdling or Incisure. 



This operation is best performed with scissors expressly 

 calculated for the purpose, the two edges of which form a ring 



