Plniies Naturall Hiftorie* 



A language call Ampclodefmos, [/.Vine-bind.] But throughout all Greece they tie their Vines 

 with RulheSjCypcruSjOr Gladon,RcckCjand fea- graflfe. Over and belides_jihc manner is other- 

 whiles to untie the Vinej and for ccrtainc daies together to give itlibertie for to wander loofely, 

 and to Ipread it felfe out of ordcr^yca^and to lie at eafe along the ground jwhich all the yearc be-^ 

 fides it only beheld from on high: in vvhich repofe it leemeth to take no fmall contentment and 

 rcfre(hing ; for like as draught norfes, when they be out of their gcercSjand hackneis unfaddledj 

 like as Oxen when they have drawne in the yoke, yea, and greyhounds after they have runne in 

 chafcjlove to tumble themfclvcs and wallow upon the earth j even fo the Vine alfojhaving beeti 

 long tied up and reftrainedjlikcth well now to ftretch out her lims and ioinesjand fuch ea(emenc 

 and relaxation doth her much good.Nay,the tree it felfe findeth fomc comfort and joy thereby, 



B in being difcharged of that burden which it carried continually as it were upon the flioulders^ 

 and feemeth now to take breath and heart againe. And certcsjgo through tlic wholecourfc and 

 workc of Nature, there is nothing, but by imitation of day and night, defireth tohavefomeal- 

 tcrnative eafe and play-daics betweenc. And it is by experience found" very hurifulljand therfore 

 not allowed of, to prune and cut Vines prefently upon the Vintage or Grape-gathering, whiles 

 they be liill-vsearic and over- travelled with bearing their fruit fo lately :ne yet to bind theni(thus 

 pruned) in the fame place againe,whcre they were tied the yearebefore .-for furely Vines do feele 

 the very prints and markcs which the bonds made, and no doubt are vexed and put to pain ther- 

 with, and the worfc for them* 



The manner of the Gaules in Lumbardic,in training of Vines from tree to tree,is to take two 



C boughs or braunches ofboth fides, and draw them over, in calc the ftocke Vines that bear them 

 bee fortie foot afunder: but foure, if they are but twentic foot diftant. And thele meet one with 

 • another in thefpacebetweenc,and are interlaced, twilk'd,and tied together; butwherethey are 

 ibmewhatweake and feeble, they bee ftrengthened with Oifier twigs or fuch like rods here and 

 there by the way,untilltheybeare out ftiffe: and looke where they bee fofbort that they will not 

 reach out^they are with an hooke fitetched and brought to the next tree that ftandeth without a 

 Vine coupled thereto. 



' A vine braunch drawne thus along in atraile,they werewoonttocut whenithadgrownctwd 

 ycarcs.For in fuch vine-lf ockes as by reafbn of age bee charged with wood,it is the better way to 

 give time and leafure for to grow and fortifie the faid braunch that is to pafle from tree to tree, 

 ^ lo as the thicknefle thereof will give leave : yca,and otherwife it is good for the old mainc bough 

 to feed ftill and thrive in pulpe and carnofitie, if wee purpofe that it fhould remaine and cane a 

 length with it. 



Yet is there one manner befides of planting & maintaining Vinespf a mean or middle nature 

 betweene couchingor enterring a braunch(by way of propaganon,)and drawing them thus in a 

 traile from one to another: namely, to fupplant, that is, lay along upon the ground the whole 

 ftocke or maine bodie of a Vine ^ which donc,to cleave it with wedges, and lb to couch in many 

 furrowes or raies,as many parcels thercofjcomming all together from one. Now in cale ech one 

 of thefe braunches or armes proceeding from onebodie.bce of itftlfefmall, weake,and tender, 

 they muif bee firengthcned with long rods like ftavcs bound unto them round about5 neithet 

 "ought the fiTiallfprigs and twigs that (pringoutofthefide,be cut away. 



The husbandmen of Novaria refl not contented with a number of thefe trailed braunches, 

 nor with ftore of boughs and trees to fuflaine and beare them junkfie they be fliored &: fuppor- 

 ted alfo with pofts and overihwartrailes5about which the young tendrils may crcepe andwind. 

 No marvcll therefore iftheir wines bee after a fort rough, hardj and unpleafant :tor befides the 

 badnefle of therr foile,the manner of their husbandrie isfo crooked and untoward. 



Our husbandmen moreover here about us (neare unto the citie of Rome) commit the like 

 fiiult, and find the famx defeat thereupon, in the Varracine Vines, that bee pruned but once in, 

 twoyeatcs : a peccc of husbandrie by thcmpra6li(ed, not for any good that it dooth unto the 

 VinCjbut becaufe the wine thereof is focheapc, that oftener pruning would not quitcofi:, nefc» 

 ^ thcr doth the revenue anfwcre thelabour and the charges. . 



In the territoric of Car(eoli(a champion and plaine countrey aboutRome)thc peafantstakc 

 a better order, and hold a middle and temperate courfe. Fortheitmanneristoproincand cut 

 away from the Vine thofe parts onely that arc faultie and rottcn.when they begin once to be dtie 

 a:nd to wither, leaving all the reft for to beare grapes: andthusdilchargingitof thefuperfluous 



burdea 



