BOOK IV. XI. i-xn. i 



merely on this point, in that they allowed the first 

 year's foliage of plants to go untouched, but also 

 after two years, when the quickset was to be cut back, 

 they lopped off all the upper part right down to the 

 ground, close to the very joint, so that it might make 

 new gi-owth from the hard wood. But experience, the 2 

 master of arts, has taught us to regulate the growth 

 of first-year cuttings and not to allow a vine to run 

 wild with a rank growth of useless leafage ; and, on 

 the other hand, not to hold it back to the extent that 

 the ancients directed, to the point of lopping oif all 

 the upper part. In fact, this method is most harmful ; 3 

 in the first place because, when you cut to the ground, 

 most plants die, being visited, as it were, by an un- 

 bearable wound ; while some of them also, which have 

 a more stubborn hold on life, produce less fruitful 

 wood — seeing that, by the admission of everyone, 

 shoots which sprout from the hard wood are very 

 often destitute of fruit. Therefore a middle course is 4 

 to be followed ; namely, that we neither cut back a 

 cutting to the ground nor, on the other hand, draw 

 it out into a woody branch of excessive length; 

 but, trimming off the sprouts from the spur" of the 

 year before, we shall leave, close to the crotch where 

 the old branches were joined, one or two buds from 

 which it may send out shoots. 



XII. Attention to the propping of the vine follows 

 the pruning. But the present, or first, year does not 

 yet require a strong prop or stake ; for it has been my 

 observ^ation that, for the most part, a young vine is 

 better satisfied with a support of moderate size than 

 with a stout prop. And so we shall attach each young 



" Lit. " thumb," from the resemblance of the stub to that 

 member. 



379 



