182 THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE, 



a double pickaxe. This is struck into the ground, and 

 then drawn towards the woi-kman, while the handle is 

 lifted, which acts as a lever in raising the soil. The next 

 year, it is usual to prune the young vine down to one, or, 

 at most, two eyes or buds ; but some experienced vine- 

 dressers recommend deferring this operation to the second 

 year, by which, although the vine will not be so forward 

 in fruiting, it will be much strengthened, and fully repay 

 the apparent loss of time in the end. In the third year, 

 the vine is trained ; that is, the shoots are tied to upright 

 stakes planted at each root, or they are laid in an arch 

 and tied from one root to another along- the ground.* 



" When vineyards are established in the plains, where, 

 sometimes, as those of Medoc, they produce very good 

 wine, the intervals between the plants can be stirred by 

 the plough, although forking and digging by hand is 

 more common ; hoeing is as necessary in a vineyard to 

 destroy weeds, as it is in a field of turnips, or any other 

 crop sown in rows. The pruning of a vine in bearing, 

 the object of which is to produce much fruit without 

 weakening the plant, can only be learnt by experience 

 and practice; much of the success of a vineyard depends 

 on this operation. In the best vineyards, no manure is 

 used, except that which we mentioned before, of leaves 

 and tendrils ; but some soils require to be recruited, and, 

 without manure, would produce little or no wine. In 

 this case, there is no alternative, and composts mnst be 

 formed, as is done in common cultivation, with animal 

 and vegetable substances mixed and decomposed. Horse 



* This mode of training is by no means universal, but is common in 

 France, and in tlie vicinity of the Rhine. 



