HOW TO CULTIVATE THE S'OIL. 71 



Never put a " Spur " above tlie " Bearing "Wood," 

 or " Bow," or, as tlie European vintners have it, " Never 

 put the apprentice above the master," a saying in which 

 hes the whole idea of so trimming as to have the proper 

 number of apprentices ready below, to become subse- 

 quent masters. The thighs should never be shorter 

 than eight or ten inches, nor longer than four feet ; nor 

 should the bows have more than ten to twelve buds, 

 nor the spurs more than two or three buds. No vine 

 should have more than three thighs — ^two is enough ; 

 nor any one thigh more than one bow, and two spurs, 

 (one will generally be enough.) Should it be intended 

 to get "Layers," it is best to train ground shoots for 

 the purpose. 



HOW TO CULTIVATE THE SOIL OF A VINEYARD. 



Bbfoee any cultivation of the ground, the vineyard 

 should be cleared of all offals from the previous trim- 

 ming. These offals should be packed down in those 

 spots in the vineyard which have a tendency to wash. 

 They may be used for these purposes in other locali- 

 ties. In Germany, they are gathered up for firewood, 

 as was the old custom in Judea. I have found them 

 most excellent in smoking hams and meat generally, 

 and fancied they gave to meat a better flavor. 



