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CULTIVATION of the VINE. 



20 X 



formed about three feet from the ground. But this I fhail 

 particularly explain, when I treat of the management of 

 vines for efpaliers. I fhall begin then with the proper 

 culture of vines that are defigned for flakes. 



In this cafe the head of the vine is formed near the 

 furfacc of the ground, as I have already more than once 

 obfervcd ; and this method is now generally pradifed 

 throughout wine countries, and indeed it is the only me- 

 thod proper for countries, where the frofts in winter are 

 fo hard as to hurt vines, by which means the nest year's 

 crop is deftroyed. There is no way to prevent this, but by 

 covering the vines in winter, which cannot well be done, 

 when vines arc fixed upon frames or efpaliers, without 

 great difEcuky and labour, as well as danger to the vine. 



The firft fummer after the vine is planted, you have 

 nothing to do, but to tie up the little branches to the flakes 

 with a loft band, as fbon as they are grown about a foot 

 or fifteen inches long, which will fave them from being 

 torn off by hard winds, which v/ould endanger the vine. 

 Befjdes they grow the ilronger and the better for it, and 

 are out of the way of the hoe, the plough and the harrow. 

 You are alfo to keep the ground clean and free from weeds 

 and grafs; for they are great enemies to vines. If the 

 ground be kept mellow and loofe, your vines will grow 

 and flourifli the better. If you have any litter, lliort llraw 



and chaff, the fliives of broken hemp'or flax, the chaff 



, the dud and chaff of buckwheat, and the 



of flax feed 



flraw trod fine with horics when it is dry, any or all of 

 thefefpread over your vineyard after it is hoed or ploughed 

 and harrowed, will keep down the grafs and weeds, keep 

 the ground moifl and light, and will greatly preferve the 

 good foil from wafning away. If this be done the firfl: 

 three or four years, it will greatly forward the vines, bring 

 the ground into good heart, and finely prepare it to pro- 



duce 



good 



crops, by keeping it loofe, airy and lii>-ht, 



which vines greatly delight 



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