200 Vineyard Culture. 



Thinning the Leaves. — In the middle and the 

 north of the vine-growing region, the dampness of the 

 soil and atmosphere being greater than in the south, the 

 annual growth of the vine is prolonged, and this pro- 

 longed growth is often hurtful to the proper ripening of 

 the grapes, which commences only from the moment 

 that the growth of the vine has stopped. The bunches 

 then contain all the elements necessary to their perfect 

 ripening, and, no longer receiving any sap, they fully 

 elaborate the fluids which they contain. 



Thinning the leaves, when practiced carefully, has 

 the effect of stopping the vine's annual growth before 

 the period at which it would otherwise have ceased, and 

 so favors the ripening. This operation is, therefore, 

 very necessary, especially in the north and middle of 

 the wine-growing region, but it must be executed with 

 judgment. If begun too soon, the thinning stops the 

 development of the bunches ; is prejudicial to the vig- 

 or of the plants and to the quality of the produce ; 

 and if performed to too great an extent at one time, it 

 renders the bunches liable to be scorched by the sun. 



This is the proper mode of proceeding : a first or 

 preliminary thinning should take place when the grapes 

 begin to appear transparent, and have reached their full 

 size. Only a few leaves are then removed'; those 

 which protect the bunches from the direct action of the 

 sun are retained. Fifteen or twenty days afterward, 

 the work is completed, by removing a fresh quantity of 

 leaves, allowing only one-third or one-half to remain, 

 according as the plants are more or less vigorous, the 

 climate more or less warm, or as the year has been more 

 or less wet. Those which cover the bunches are then 



