Plinics Natumll Hiftone. 



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A gcd betwecne vintage and mid-wintcrjhowroeverfomebeofchismindj Thatitftifficethihem 

 to bare thexootsonelyofthe vines and Jay dung thereto. The fecond delving they v^ould have 

 to be from the Ides of Aprill, and fix daics before the Ides of May, that is, before they begin to 

 conceive and bud i and thirdly^ before they fall to bloflbme 5 alfo when they have done flouring ; 

 and alfo at the time when the grapes alter their hew. But the more skilfull and expert husbands 

 affirmcconftantly,Thatif the ground be overmuch labouredjand digged too often, the f^rapes 

 will be fo tender skinned, that they will burilagainc. Moreover, thele rules following are% bee 

 obferved. That when any vines^o require fuch delving and digging.the labourers ought to go 

 to workc betimes before the heat of the day : marie if the vineyard lUnd upon a myrieclay, it is 

 not good then cither to care or dig it, but rather to wait for thehotfeafon^for theduftchat ri- 



B feth by digging, is very good (by their faying) both to preferve the vine and grapes from the • 

 panching (ijnne, and alfo to defend them againfl: the dropping mifts. 



As for disburgening of vinesand clcanfing them of their fuperfluous leaves,all men accordj 

 that it fliould be done once in the Spring, to wit, after the Ides of May, for the fpace of eleven 

 daies following 5 and in any hand before they begin to put forth flower. And how much thereof 

 muftbc thus diffoiled for the firft time ? even all that is under the traile or frame, and no morci 

 Asforthe fccond,menbe not all of one mind 5 Some would have theleavesto be disbraun- 

 ched when the vine hath done flowting: others expe6\ untiil the grapes begiii to be ripe. But 

 as touching thefe points^ the rules that Caiff givetb, will refolve us : for wee are now alfo to fhew 

 the manner of cutting and prunmg vines.Many men begin this worke immediatly after vintage, 



C when the weather is warme and temperate : but in deed (by courfc of Nature) this lliould never 

 be done before the rifing of the /Egleflarrc (as we will more aclarg^ declare in the next booke^ 

 where we are to treat of therifingand fall of the fixed ftars ahdof their influcnces;)or rather 

 in truths when the Wcfterne wind Favonius beginneth coblow, forafmuch as there mightbe 

 daunger in going over foone to worke, confidenng that haft commonly makeih waif. For this 

 is certaine, that if there come an aftcr-winter,and chaunce to bite the vines newly mcdicincd (as 

 it were) or rather fore wirh this pruning, if It happen (Ifay) that when every man makes recko- 

 ning that winter is gone, it come upon them againe and whiske with his taik^their buds pinched 

 with cold willloofe iheir vigor, their wounds will cleave and make rifts, in fuch fort, that when 

 the humiditie is diftilled and dropped forth, the oilets will be nipt and burnt away with the bitter^ 



D ndle of the unfeafonablc weather: for who knoweth notjthatinfroftitis ticklifhmedlin" with 

 vines, and that they be in daunger foone to breake and knap afundef ? To fay therefore a truths 

 by order of Nature there would not be fuch hafl made. But here is the matter, they that have a 

 large domaine and much lands tolooke unto, they that mull go through.a great deale of worke^ 

 cannot will nor chufe but begin betimes,and make this computation and reckoning aforefaid. 

 And in one word,thefoonerthat vines be pruned(if the time will fervc commodioufiv)the more 

 they run into wood and leaves j and contrariwife, the later you go toworkcj the more plentie of 

 grapes they will yeeld : and therfore it is meet and expedient to prune vines that bee poore and 

 teeblc,very timely ; but fuch asbeeftrong and hardicjlaft of all. 



As for the maner and fafbion of the cue, it ought aiwaies to jpc aflaunt, like a goats foot, that 



E no drops of raine may fettle and reft thereupon, but that every lliov^re may foon fhoot off: alfo 

 that it turne downward to the ground, thatit be even and fiiiooth made with a keen andfharpe 

 edged bill or cutting hooke. Furthermore, this heed would be takenjthat the cut be juft betvseen 

 two buds, for feare of wounding any of the oyletsneere unto that part which is cut off: and 

 commonly this is fuppofcd to be black and duskilTi^ and fo long as it is fb fcene , it ought to be 

 cut and cut againe, untill you come to that which isfound and cleere indeed: for never fhallyec 

 haveoutofafaultyand corrupt wood,any thing come forth that will be worth ought . If the 

 vine be fo poore and leane that it affordeth no branches meet and fufficient to beare,cut it down 

 to the very ground, for beif it is then to fetch new from the root, and to fee whether they will 

 be more Iviely. Over and befide in disburgening and dcfoiling a vine, youmufl beware how 



|5 you pluck off thofe burgeons that are like to beare the grape, or to go with it , for that were the 

 next way to iiipplant(as it wete)ihe grapes,yca and kill the vme,unlcife it were a new and young 

 plant. Will you then know which are unprofitable and maybe fpared ? even all thole are dee- 

 med fuperfluous, which come not dire<5tly from the knot or neere the oilet,. but grow out of the 

 fide: and no marvaile,fince that the very branches of grapes which hang in this maner out of 



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