BOOK IV. XIX. i-xx. 2 



to vineyards at the start, but the vine must be 

 carried to this height after a long succession of years. 

 But the moister the soil and climate, and the gentler 2 

 the Avinds, the higher must the frames be raised. 

 For the luxuriance of the vines allows them to spread 

 themselves at a greater height, and the fruit is less 

 inclined to rot when well removed from the earth ; 

 and by this method alone there is thorough ventilation 

 by the winds, which quickly dry up the fog and pesti- 

 lential dew, and contribute much to the casting of the 

 flowers and the goodness of the wne. On the other 3 

 hand, land that is poor and sloping and parched with 

 heat, or that is subject to violent storms, calls for a 

 lower frame. But if all circumstances answer to 

 your desire, the proper height for a vine is five 

 feet ; and yet there is no doubt that the vine yields 

 wine of better flavour in proportion to the height of 

 the frames to which it raises itself. 



XX. After the vineyard is staked and yoked, there 

 follows the work of the binder, whose first concern 

 should be, as I remarked above, to keep the vine- 

 stock straight and not to let it follow the curve of the 

 prop, lest the crookedness of the support form a 

 vine after its own likeness. This is of the greatest 

 importance, not only to its appearance, but also to 

 its strength, productiveness, and durabihty. For a 2 

 straight stem bears pith like itself, through which, as 

 by a sort of road without a turn or obstruction, the 

 nourishinent of mother earth more easily makes its 

 way and ari-ives at the very top ; but vines that are 



6 libertatein SA. 



' in eant c : manant SAa. 



397 



