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CULTIVAl^ION OF THE VINE. 



207 



In the fall of this third fummer, preferve two of the 

 bed fliort jointed branches of referve^ one on each fide of 

 the head of the vlae^ for bearing fruit the next year : The 

 reft cut down to one good bud each. If fome of your vines 



I: 



:)e very ftroug and flonrifliing, you may preferve four 



branches for bearing fruit, but by no means more, one 



on each quarter of the vine, fo fhall they bear fruit the 



better. As to the branches on the few vines, that bore 



fruit this year, they mud be cut dowui to one good bud 



each; for the fame branch muft never be fuffered to bear 



fruit two years running, unlefs you fall fhort of branches 



of refcrve, in that cafe you muft do what neceffity requires, 



and let the old branch bear a fecond time, but they fel- 



dora or never bearfo large clufters, nor fo fair fruit. Oa 



thefe vines, that borefruitthis year, not above two branches 



on each, fliould be kept for bearing fruit the next year, 



fo fhall you preferve their ftrength from being exhaufted 



when young; they will laft the longer, and bear fruit the 



more plentifully hereafter. The reft of the management 



is the fame with that of the laft year; only fome time in 



the latter end of November, or fomewhat later, if the hard 



weather keeps off, a fmall long trench on each fide of the 



vine is dug with a hoe, and the branches that are kept for 



bearing fruit, are laid down gently into them, without 



forcing them, fo as to crack them, or fplit the bark, or 



ftrain the wood too hard, and muft be covered over with 

 the earth. If any part appears above ground, it muft be 

 well covered with ftraw, bog, or fait hay, and indeed if 

 the whole that are buried were alfo covered in the fame 

 jBanner, with ftraw, &c. it would be beft; for the branches 

 being of an elaftic nature, they are very apt, upon the 

 thawing of the ground, to rife with their backs above the 

 ground, and remain expofed to the weather, fo that your 

 crop may be loft notwithftanding your trouble, which a 

 fmall covering of ftraw or hay will prevent. If any of 

 them fhould be fo ftiff and ftubborn as /jot to bend down, 

 then bind ftraw round them and the ftak e. 



In 



