BOOK IV. XXVI. 3-xxvii. 2 



downward, let them look upon the ground with then* 

 tips. That this may be done skilfully, the binder must 4 

 remember not to twist the young branch but merely 

 to bend it down and tie it ; and he must bear in 

 mind that every mature branch which cannot yet 

 be bent down to earth is to be placed upon the 

 frame, so that it may rather rest upon a bar than 

 hang from its binding. For I have often observed 

 that farmers, through want of foresight, place a 

 fruiting branch under the frame and tie it in such a 

 way as to let it hang merely by a withe ; and when 

 this vine receives the weight of its shoots and 

 grapes, it is broken down. 



XXVII. When our vineyards are so put in order, 

 we shall next hasten to clean them and to rid them of 

 the pruned tAvigs and deadwood. However, these 

 must be gathered when the ground is dry, lest 

 the earth, being trampled when muddy, make the task 

 harder for the digger, who is to be brought in im- 

 mediately while the vines are still dormant. For if 

 you send the digger in when the fruiting branches 

 are swelling and putting forth buds, he will knock off 

 a large part of the vintage. Therefore vineyards 

 are to be dug as deep as possible during the time 

 when spring begins and ^A-inter ends, before the buds 

 come, that they may sprout out more luxuriantly 

 and joyfully ; and when they have bedecked 

 themselves with leaves, a limit must be set to the 

 young shoots before they are full grown. And let 2 

 the same vine-dresser who made use of the knife 

 before, now prune with his hand, and let him hold the 



^^ habendus.*S^, vett. edd. 



^^ deputet ac3I : decutet SA : decutiet edd. 



431 



