STEM APPENDAGES. 101 



CHAPTER XII. '^ 



STEM APPENDAGES. 



THEEE are various appendages to the stem of the vine, 

 such as spines, hairs, etc., which are of service to the bota- 

 nist, as they assist him in determining the different species, 

 varieties, etc. ; but those that are of the most interest to 

 the practical vineyardist are the laterals, leaves, tendrils, 

 and buds. 



The mode of treating laterals has been given in a pre- 

 ceding chapter, in which it was shown how they may be- 

 come injurious or beneficial to the vine, according to the 

 will of the vineyardist. Leaves are the most conspicuous 

 appendage of the vine, and they are of the greatest import- 

 ance, as it can not exist without them. They are some- 

 times called the lungs of plants, and many beautiful theories 

 have been brought forward in accordance with the simili- 

 tude. Their chief office appears to be to assimilate materi- 

 als which are taken up by the roots, and to do this it is 

 necessary that their surface should be exposed to light. 

 The greater surface of leaves that a vine exposes to the 

 sun, the greater power will it have to take up liquids from 

 the soil, and with them those constituents which go to 

 make up the whole structure of the vine. 



This being the fact, it can readily be seen how, by di- 

 minishing the number of leaves, we check growth, or vice 

 versa. But it should be borne in mind that simply taking 

 off a portion of leaves will not always actually diminish the 

 strength of the vine ; for instance, if they are much crowd- 

 ed, one portion may shade the other, and all may be small, 

 feeble, and of little use. If a part of these are removed, 



