BOOK III. XIX. 1-3 



XIX. The length that a cutting should have is not 

 absolutely fixed, since it should be made shorter if its 

 eyes are close together, or longer if they are far apart. 

 Still, it should be not more than a foot nor less than 

 nine inches in length : lest in the latter case, being 

 at the surface of the earth, it dry out in hot weather ; 

 while in the former case, if set too deep, it may make 

 removal difficult after it has made some grovrth. But 

 the above applies to planting in level ground. For 

 on hillsides, where the land falls off rapidly, it 

 may be set to a depth of a foot and a palm. A 

 situation in a valley or a wet plain allows even a 

 cutting of three buds, which is a little less than nine 

 inches but in any case more than half a foot in length. 

 And this cutting is called " three-budded," not from 

 the fact that it consists of three eyes in all — since it is 

 usually full of sprouts about the wound where it was 

 cut from its mother — but because, apart from those 

 buds with which it is crowded at the butt, it has three 

 joints in succession and the same number of buds. 

 In addition, I offer this advice also to one who is 

 planting either the cutting or the rooted vine — to 

 avoid excessive wind and sun, lest the plants dry out ; 

 and both of these are warded off without incon- 

 venience by throwing a garment or any sort of thick 

 covering around the plants. However, it is better to 

 choose for the planting a day when the air is still or at 

 least stirring but lightly. For the sun is easily kept 

 off by canopies. 



But, before putting an end to this discussion, we 

 must speak of a matter which we have not yet 

 touched upon — whether vines of one or several 

 kinds are to be kept, and whether these are to be 

 separated and kept apart, sort by sort, or jumbled 



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