m 



Irost is over. The first fortnight in March is the best time for the 

 vineyard in the centre and North of France, and it should oply be 

 done when the weather is fair, dry, and without appearance of rain. 



After the sap begins to circulate, it is improper to prune the Vines, 

 unless such as are sprouting too luxuriantly, and which require to be 

 weakened, those in a proper condition it weakens too much ; they 

 seem exhausted and yield only poor fruit. 



In pruning it is important to do the topping neatly ; it should be 

 done with a sharp kniie, and the cut be made cleanly, and slanting 

 backwards and downwards from about an inch and an half above the 

 last eye that is left. The rain does not penetrate such a wound, 

 nor the frost, if there is any in the months of April and May, reach 

 the neck of the joint through it. In several districts they have a 

 way of cutting the branch in pruning straight off ; but it is a worth- 

 less fashion ; it exposes the bud to all the stress of the weather, and 

 if the bud be crushed or split, the loss of the fruit follows of course. 

 It is a mode productive of great disappointment and loss. 



When one single eye alone is left, there is always some risk that 

 that eye may meet with an accident, in which case the stock or 

 stem will be likely to perish, especially if it be weak or unthriving^. 

 To avoid this inconvenience, prudent vine-dressers always preserve 

 two eyes, at liberty to make afterwards a more rigorous lopping. 



In pruning for the wine crop solely, many more branches are left 

 than in simple pruning for the preservation of the Vine ; but it soon 

 exhausts the plant and hastens the necessity of replanting. This 

 is the mode pursued by vine-dressers who work vineyards on shares, 

 and planters who follow the old adage, the Vine should sink under 

 its crop. But they generally neglect to bend in time the long runners, 

 stems and sprouts ; they leave them very long with the intention of 

 having much fruit ; but the sap ascending with too much ease, de- 

 velopes the uppermost or woody buds, that is, the buds above those 

 which turn out to be fruit bearers, and if the season is hot and moist, 

 or the plant is very vigorous, the fruit-buds will dwindle and be 

 lost entirely. As a general rule for the application of pruning, it 

 should (according to the different kinds and varieties or situation of 

 the plants, independent of other differences) be made so as to leave 

 the wood long, and but a few branches, for kinds that have a dry, 

 solid v/ood ; of such as have a very pithy wood, the main -branches 

 maybe many in number, but their stems should be left very short. 

 The newness of the soil in the culture makes a modification of the 

 necessity for pruning ; there are situations, such for instance as the 

 island of Santori in the Archipelago where they never prune until 

 the tenth year 



