Other Operations, 185 



the basket-makers. These are cut in any mild weather dur- 

 ing the winter. When the workmen are making the sheaves, 

 the smaller twigs are allowed to fall out of the bundles, and 

 these may then be gathered and stored in a damp cellar or 

 cave, until wanted for tieing the grapes. 



In this operation, the wand is first cast about the wire or 

 stake, the larger end twisted around the smaller two or three 

 times, or the two ends may be twisted together ; the vine is 

 then brought to its place, and the same thing is repeated. — ■ 

 There is no real tie made, but after the thick end has been 

 thus twisted around the smaller, it is dextrously inclined to- 

 ward the vine, which prevents it from untwisting itself. The 

 whole operation is very rapidly performed by an expert, and 

 it remains secure for a long time.] 



Rubbing out and Pinching. — This operation con- 

 sists in the removal of all the buds that are not required 

 for the bearing of the present and the following year ; 

 and it is also done for the preservation of the shape of 

 the plant. It will be seen that the nipping of these 

 buds will have the effect of giving to the bunches and 

 the shoots retained, the benefit of all the sap which 

 would otherwise have nourished, to no purpose, those 

 which have been removed. We thus obtain a more 

 abundant harvest, and finer shoots, for the following 

 year. Hence it follows that there would be an advant- 

 age in nipping the buds as soon as possible, while they 

 are but two or three inches in length. But this mode 

 of operation would have a serious drawback : we should 

 be liable to remove the grape-producing shoots, and to 

 retain those which would yield none. This operation, 

 therefore, should only take place when the young grapes 

 have begun to be visible — that is to say, when the 

 shoots have obtained a length of six to eight inches. 

 16 



