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192 



CULTIVATION of the VINE. 



The nature and quality of the vines bemg confidered and 

 made choice of to fuit the country you live in, the next 

 thing ncceffary to be known is, how to make choice of 

 fiich parts of a vine, for cuttings to plant, as may be moft 

 likely to grow and flourifli, and alfo to produce healthy 

 and fruitful vines, on which the fuccefs and profits cf a 

 vineyard very much depend. Know then, that all parts 

 of a vine arc not equally good and fit for plants. If you 

 have it in your choice, avoid all branches, that have not 

 born fruit, all fuckers, nephews, lateral and fecondary 

 branches, and efpecially the long running barren branches, 

 Thefe different forts feldom produce fruitful vines. Choofe 

 therefore, your cuttings from the teemuig part of the vine, 

 from among thofe branches that were fet apart for bear- 

 ing fruit; and among thefe, choofe fuch as are fhort joint- 



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ed, and have been moft fruitful the laft fummer, fo fhall 

 you be fure to have fruitful and thrifty vines. Let them 

 be cut down clofe to the old wood; for here the wood is 

 ripeft and moft firm. The upper part of the fame branch 

 is lefs ripe, and more loofe and fpungy, and more apt to 

 fail, and very feldom makes fo firm and lafting a vine. 

 However, where vines are fcarce, and men have not thefe 

 advantages in their power, they muft do the beft they can. 

 Thefe branches muft be trimmed and cleared from the ne- 

 phews and the lateral or fecondary branches; but in doing 



this, great care muft be taken not to wound the buds or 

 eyes, which a carelefs hand is very apt to do. If the bud 

 be bruifcd with the back of the knife, fo that the cotton 

 that lies under the thin bark, that covers the bud, and is 

 wifely intended to preferve it from the injuries of the wea- 

 ther, be rubbed off, the bud will perifli. Therefore as 

 the buds lie clofe to thefe lateral branches, and are in fo 

 much danger of being wounded, it is beft and fafeft to cut 

 the branches off, a little above the height of the bud, that 

 the little ftump or ftub left behind may be above the top 

 of the bud, fo fhall the eye be left fccure, and run no 

 rifque of being blinded. 



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