BOOK IV. xxvii. 2-6 



shade in check and pull off superfluous foliage ; and 

 it is of the utmost importance not to do this unskil- 

 fully, since the removal of excess leafage is even 

 more beneficial to vines than is pruning. For though 

 the one is of great advantage, still it wounds and 

 checks the vines ; while the other heals them more 

 gently, without a wound, and makes the next year's 

 pruning easier. Then too it produces a vine that is 3 

 freer from scars, because that from which a green 

 and tender thing is plucked soon heals over. In 

 addition, the mature branches which have fruit 

 make a better recovery, and the grapes, being more 

 completely exposed to the sun, are thoroughly 

 ripened." 



Therefore it is the part of an intelligent vine- 4 

 dresser, and one especially expert, to take stock and 

 consider in what places he should allow the growth 

 of firm wood for the year, and to remove not only 

 the branches that are destitute of buds, but fruitful 

 branches as well, if their number has gone beyond 

 proper bounds ; since it happens that some eyes put 

 forth three shoots, of which you must remove two, that 

 the eyes may better rear one nursling apiece. For 5 

 it is the business of a wise husbandman to consider 

 whether the vine has bedecked itself with a greater 

 quantity of fruit than it can carry to maturity. 

 Accordingly he will ^ish, not only to pick off super- 

 fluous foUage, which should always be done, but 

 sometimes to shake off a part of the fruit so as to 

 lighten a vine that is overburdened by its own 

 productiveness. And a diligent vine-trimmer Avill 

 do this for various reasons, even if there is no more 

 fruit than is able to ripen ; or if it is right that 6 

 a vine, fettered by heavy bearing in previous years 



433 



