VITIS, GRAPEVINE. 279 



or only of average strength, it's best to trim them back above their highest cluster. These 

 curtailments keep the grapevine from becoming cluttered & diverting its sap, which 

 would be better used to amply nourish the fruit & the good shoots rather than to 

 strengthen useless branches. Nevertheless enough shoots & leaves must be left to protect 

 the grape clusters from the sun, because it's not yet the time to uncover them. The 

 conserved branches should be trained several times during the summer as they lengthen. 



In August & September it's very helpful (necessary if there are dry spells) to 

 water the base of each vinestock from time to time. The fruit will benefit & will be better 

 nourished for it. 



Finally, when the grapes are nearly mature, the leaves that cover them must be cut 

 away so that the sun will improve their juice & give them a beautiful color. Water poured 

 over them before the sun's rays hit them will make their skin tender & will allow them to 

 obtain the color that makes them so appealing. 



Muscats often ripen with difficulty, & the grapes are small because there are too 

 many of them & they're crowded too close together. According to La Quintinye, some of 

 the flowers can be aborted by spraying them with water from a pump or a watering can if 

 there's been no rainfall that produces the same result. 



Manure & other fertilizers increase the vigor & fertility of grapevines, but usually 

 with a loss in the quality of the fruit. It's much better every two or three years to remove 

 some of the earth from the base of each vinestock & to replace it with good fresh soil. 



It's well known that netting & bags of paper or horsehair cloth protect grapes from 

 birds & flies. 



