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CULTIVATION of the VINE 



236 



I I 





flocks; as for the root that flioots downward, nature, for 

 the preicrvation of the plant from exceflive droughts, darts 

 them down fo far as to reach a moilhirc below fufficient 



to fccure them from perifliing. If then in four or five 

 years they extend then' roots fo far, how muft they inter- 



fere and rob eacli other, wlien they are planted near, and 

 cfpccially when they grow old, their roots then are fo in- 

 terwoven that they appear like a piece of net work; this, 

 I think, fliews, and phiinly proves, that vines planted three, 

 four, five, or even fix feet apart, are quite too near, fo that 

 they greatly hurt each other and cannot produce fo good wine. 

 Again, when vines are planted at a proper diftance, a wheel 

 or a hand barrow may pafs freely through them, which 

 will greatly facilitate the dunging of the ground and the 

 gathering in of the vintage; or a horfe with panniers on 

 each fide, made ilat on the fide next his body, or a long 

 fqnare balket fixed on a hand-barrow and flung acrofs two 

 hardy boys fliouldcrs, would give difpatch to cither work. 

 But farther, men of learning and obfervatioa fay, that vines 

 planted at a diftance produce the heft and richeft wines, 

 and to crown all, it is the opinion of men knowing and 

 experienced in thefe things, that a vineyard planted at 

 eight or ten feet diftance each way, will produce as many 

 grapes, as one planted within half that diftance, though 

 there be twice as many vines; that it will produce larger 

 and finer grapes; will bring its fruit to greater perfe£H'on, 

 and make better wine. 



If a man be poor and cannot procure a horfe 

 and a plough, or if his vineyard be fmall and he 

 choofes to cultivate it with his own hands, or 

 if his vineyard lies along the fide of a fteep hill 

 or mountain and cannot be plonp-hed, in either 

 cafe the German double pick, or farklingiron, is 

 the beft inftrument for digging a vineyard; the 

 fhape you have in the margin : This inftrument 

 digs the ground with more eafe than tlie hoe, 

 and neither cuts nor wounds the roots. It is 

 fixed on the handle like a hoe, and bends 



dov/nward as that does. 



As 



