BOOK IV. XXII. 6-9 



give passage to the young stems that spi'ing from 

 the roots, that they may be able either to wed their 

 own props or to bedeck with their offspring any mate- 

 less props that are near by. However, this should be 7 

 done in this way on condition that the vines are rather 

 deeply planted and do not have roots gliding along 

 on the surface, and if they are of good stock. For 

 otherwise the labour is spent to no purpose, because 

 low-grade vines, even when renewed, will retain their 

 former character; while those that barely cling to 

 the surface of the earth will fail before they can recover 

 strength. The one vine, then, will have to be grafted 8 

 rather with fruitful shoots, and the other completely 

 rooted out and replanted, provided the goodness of the 

 soil makes it advisable. When a vineyard has wasted 

 away because of the bad quality of soil, we believe 

 that it is in no way worthy of being restored. Further- 

 more, the bad qualities of a place which usually bring 

 vineyards to destruction are meanness and barren- 

 ness of soil, salty or sour marshland, a steep and 

 rugged situation, a valley that is too dark and not 

 exposed to the sun, also sandy tufa, or gravel that is 

 unduly hungry, and also gravel that is bare and 

 destitute of earthy matter, and anything of like 

 nature which does not nourish the vine. But if it is 9 

 free from these disadvantages and their like, a vine- 

 yard may be restored by the method which we 

 advised in the preceding book. On the other hand, 

 those vineyards of bad stock which, even though of 

 vigorous growth, are destitute of fruit because of 

 barrenness, are improved, as we have stated, by 

 grafting; and we shall treat of this in its proper 

 place " when we have come to that subject of 

 discussion. 



407 



