324 BLEEDING OF THE VINE. 



over the plants ; or it may be thrown on them by means of a 

 swan's down puff, or with a common dredging box. 



Bleeding of the vine. 



The great flow of the sap, usually denominated the bleeding- 

 of the vine, most persons contend is highly injurious, while 

 others have advocated that the use of preventives is an in- 

 jury. Leaving this point to the good sense of our cultivators, 

 my own opinion is simply this, that where it is deemed benefi- 

 cial to accumulate and husband the sap, it must be equally so 

 to take means for its preservation. In the consideration of 

 this subject it is requisite to keep always in view, that the vine 

 only bleeds before the growth commences, when the sap has 

 no other means of exhaustion ; and that it ceases on the expan- 

 sion of the foliage. One method used to prevent the bleed- 

 ing is to take a piece of moistened bladder and fold it over 

 the end of the shoot, and bind it round tightly with pack- 

 thread. The remedy deemed most effectual however, is the 

 following : Immediately after the branch is pruned in the 

 spring, or in any case where bleeding has commenced, apply 

 to the wound pulverized plaster of Paris, which the moisture 

 there generated will aid in completely obstructing the flow of 

 the fluid. It has been suggested to use for this purpose plas- 

 ter prepared for cement by calcination, which probably much 

 increases its absorbent quality, as well as the property of har- 

 dening speedily, or of setting, as it is technically termed. 



Couhire, or blight of the llossoms. 



The flowering of the vine is exceedingly important, as on it 

 wholly depends the crop, and at this period the vines should 

 not be disturbed by working among them. The shedding or 

 abortiveness of the blossoms is called by the French coulure, 

 and they have given particular directions, and cautions to be 

 observed at the flowering season in order to prevent it. Some 

 varieties of vines are much more subject to it than others, 

 either from nature, or from being planted in too dry or too 

 moist a soil, or from flowering too early or too late. It is 



