BOOK V. VI. 25-28 



tree four feet from the ground, a second holding the 

 vine at its top, and a third clasping it in the middle. 

 A binding should not be placed at the bottom, since 

 it takes away the strength of the vine ; however, it is 

 sometimes considered necessary when the tree has 

 had its branches lopped off or when the vine, growing 

 too strong, runs riot. 



The other points to be observed in pruning are that 26 

 the old shoots, upon which the fruit of the previous 

 year has hung, should be all cut away, but the new 

 ones should be allowed to grow after their tendrils 

 have been cut back all round and the side-shoots 

 which have grown from them have been lopped off — if 

 the vine is in a flourishing state, the furthest shoots 

 should be let down " through the top of the branches, if 

 the vine is slender, the shoots nearest to the stock, 

 and if it is of middling size, those in the middle. For 

 the furthest shoot produces the most fruit, the nearest 

 the least and exhausts and enfeebles the vine. 



It is of great benefit to vines to unbind them every 27 

 year ; for they can then be more conveniently freed 

 from knots and they are refreshed by being bound in 

 another place and they are less damaged and recover 

 strength better. Also it is expedient that the shoots 

 themselves should be so placed upon the " stories " 

 of the tree that they hang down, being attached at 

 the third or fourth bud, and that they should not be 

 bound too tightly, lest the vine-twig be cut by the 

 osier. But if the " story " is so far away that the 28 

 firm-wood branch cannot conveniently be made to 

 reach it, we shall bind the shoot itself to the vine, 

 attaching it above the third bud. We give instruc- 

 tions that this should be done because it is the part 

 of the shoot that is bent over which is clothed with 



61 



