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CULTIVATION of the VINE 



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lateral branches or nephews till you come to trim them 

 in the fall, only nip them off, to keep them within pro- 

 per bounds. In the fall when the vine leaves begin to^ 

 wither and fall, cut away one of thefe ftandards from each 

 vine, clofc to the ftock, leaving fuch as you heft like, which 

 is now out of danger, and trim away from her all the 

 branches and nephews, and cut off her top within three feet 

 andanhalf of the ground; leave four buds at the top, and cut 

 off all the ends of the buds below them; all thefe wounds 

 will be healed before the hard weather comes on, which 



fhould not be over fevere where efpaliers are ufed ; the two 

 upper buds will be the arms of the vine, the two lower 

 fcuds will be the two flioulders, and juft under thefe the 

 ■vine is faftened to the efpaliers, and is called the_ head 

 of the vine. Now it requires the greateft fkill of the moft 

 experienced vigneron to manage and cultivate vines thus 

 educated and trained up to efpaliers; and therefore they 

 are more fit for gentlemcn^s gardens and the vineyards of 

 rich men, w^io can afford the expence of thefe frames, and 

 to employ vignerons to manage vines in this manner, in 

 order to obtain the richeft wines, than for common men 

 and men of fmall fortunes, who muft chiefly manage thefe 

 affairs with their own hands, and for whofe fakes I have 

 taken the pains to write this treatife; but that I may do 



honor to the rich and great, and fhew them that refpedt, 

 which I think due to their diftin£lion and high ftations, I 



will proceed and give fuch inflrudions as fhall anfwer their 

 expedations; but then I muft beg leave to guard them a- 

 gainft pretenders to this art> for there are pedants, and 

 not a few, among vine dreffers, as well as among men of 

 letters. The greateft difficulty, as experienced vignerons 

 know, is fo to manage a vine, as to keep her within the 

 height and compafs of a frame, and yet to caufe her to 



bear fruit plentifully. 



The third fummer the efpaliers being regularly fct up 



fix feet high, in a line with the vines, tlie pofls being of 



fome lafting wood as of red cedar, locuft or of mulberry> 



. which 



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