64 THE vine-deessee's manual. 



easier is the subsequent labor of summer trimming, 

 which will be more fully explained in another chapter. 

 It generally happens, that the vintners are rather late 

 in getting the vine to the stake, and in performing 

 this, the last labor of spring. This done, the vintner 

 feels much lighter, as the buds are by that time more 

 or less forward. The person entrusted with this labor 

 should therefore be more than usually careful, or else 

 he will break off the main buds and do irreparable injury. 

 Grood, strong willow twigs should be used for this 

 work. But mark this : — do not tie the vine so tight 

 as to stop the flow of the sap and to check the after- 

 growth of the thigh and bearing branch. I have 

 known vines to be sadly girdled by too tight tying. 

 Do not tie the end of the bow too tight to the thigh, as 

 otherwise the sap may be completely stopped and the 

 bow deprived of proper nourishment. I need not add, 

 that too loose tying is also to be avoided. 



ON TRIMMING GENERALLY. 



This important labor, whether for young or old vines, 

 should be done early — if possible before the first of 

 March — at any rate before the sap begins to flow ; be- 

 cause through late trimmings much sap is lost, and in 



