BOOK IV. XIV. 3-xv. 4 



the more so, in fact, because its tender age does not 

 endure the burden of both offspring and woody 

 branches. 



XV. But when the vineyard, at the age of one year 

 and six months, is brought to the vintage, it must be 

 recruited to full strength "■ immediately after the fruit 

 has been removed, and reserve cuttings which were 

 planted for this purpose must be set in the gaps ; or, if 

 these also are wanting, a layer * must be led from a 

 vine in the row to another stake. For it is of the utmost 

 importance up to this time that every prop be clothed 

 with a new planting, and that the vineyard shall not 

 be in a state of replanting later, when it is time to be 

 taking its fruits. There is one kind of layer where the 2 

 vine is bent above ground close to its support, and so, 

 being carried underground by adeep trench, is brought 

 out beside a vacant stake ; then from the " bow " '^ it 

 puts forth a vigorous shoot of firm wood, which is im- 

 mediately attached to its prop and brought up to the 

 cross-bar. Then in the following year a cut is made 3 

 in the upper part of the bend,'' as far as the pith, that 

 the rod under propagation may not draw into itself 

 all the strength of the mother vine, and that it 

 may learn little by little to take its nourishment 

 from its own roots. Next, when two years old, it 

 is chopped off close to the branch which has been 

 caused to spring up from the bow. And what is 

 cut away and separated from the mother vine, 

 immediately has the ground dug deep about it ; then 

 a small hole is made, and it is cut off at the very 

 lowest point and covered with earth, so that it may 

 drive its roots doAvnwards and not sprout out near 

 the top of the ground by being carelessly cut at 

 the surface. Moreover, there is no time better 4 



385 



