BOOK IV. XX. 5-xxi. 3 



forth more vigorous wood which may immediately 

 shoot up to the frame. 



XXI. There is no other pruning for a vine five years 

 old than that it shall be shaped as I have undertaken 

 to describe above, and that it shall not spread too 

 far ; but that the head of the stock shall be about one 

 foot below the frame and that, with its four arms, 

 which some call duramenta, or " hardened branches," 

 it shall be spread out into a corresponding number of 

 spaces. It ^^ill suffice for a time that these arms be re- 

 duced to one fruiting branch each, until the vines are of 

 proper strength. Then, some years later, when they 

 have entered the juvenile stage, so to speak, it is 

 uncertain how many branches should be left. For 2 

 richness of situation requires more, and leanness 

 fewer; since, indeed, a vine of rank groAvth, unless 

 it is checked by bearing, casts its blossoms badly 

 and runs to wood and foliage ; while a weak vine, on 

 the contrary, is impaired when burdened >\ith fruit. 

 And so in rich ground it will be permissible to impose 

 two rods upon each arm, but not to burden them 

 with a number beyond the point where one vine sup- 

 ports eight rods, unless its very excessive fruit ful- 

 ness shall demand more ; for the vine which is 

 extended with firm wood beyond this limit has the 

 appearance of an arbour rather than of a vine. And 3 

 we should not allow the arms to be larger than the 

 stock ; but when presently the growth of lateral 

 shoots from them is permitted, the upper hard canes 

 must be constantly cut away so that they may not 

 go beyond the frame ; but the vine should always be 

 renewed with young branches. These laterals, if 

 they have made sufficient gro^vth, should be placed 

 upon the frame ; but if one of them is broken or not 



401 



