168 CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 



g teiMl a g during the summer : it is evident, that, 

 f if equally distributed, each leaf and branch will 

 receive one ounce of sap as its proportion. But 

 if e, /, </, are removed, it is obvious that the three 

 which remain will have two ounces each, or 

 double the supply. 



"Why, then, it may be asked, not remove c 

 and d also ? Because, in that case, B, the bunch 

 of fruit, would have the whole six ounces of 

 sap to itself. The reason why this should not be done 

 is this : If all the leaves on the lateral be removed, 

 there will be no force left upon it wherewith to attract 

 from the main branch the food that belongs to it; for 

 the power which the parts of the plants possess of 

 attracting fluid is in proportion to the amount of their 

 perspiration. Now, leaves perspire copiously, but the 

 grapes themselves scarcely at all; whence their gradual 

 conversion, from a substance of the texture of a leaf, into 

 a mass of pulp. In the instance of vine-pruning, the great 

 object is to leave on the laterals just as much force as may 

 be required to secure for the bunches the food that is 

 intended for them, and at the same time to deprive the 

 laterals of the means of expending that food uselessly in 

 the production of leaves instead of fruit." 



