366 ACCOUNT OF THE CITY OP HIERES, 



with olives, figs, and fometimes almond-trees. The 

 vines here are not fixed to props. They conlift of old 

 thick ftems, about half an ell in height Thefe annu- 

 ally put out fhoots, which are then pruned to two 

 buds. The countryman is fo expert in the manage- 

 ment of this, that young bearing wood is always pufh- 

 ing out, without fufFering the thick flem to grow up- 

 wards. 



In the vineyards we frequently meet with fquare 

 fpaces about ten feet every way, paved with Hone, and 

 then done over with mortar ; fo that the ground is firm 

 and even. On three of the fides of fuch a place are 

 little walls about three feet and a half high ; on the 

 fourth they are open. The bottom, from the open 

 fide, is fomewhat floped towards the hinder wall ; and 

 in the middle of the hinder wall, clofe to the ground, 

 runs a fmall bricked canal through the wall. This 

 place is the receptacle for the clufters as they are cut 

 off in the vintage. From hence they are afterwards 

 fetched away on the backs of affes into the town; 

 where they are put under the prefs. The cavity in the 

 back wall, as may eafily be conceived, is for the pur- 

 pofe of letting off the juice that is expreffed by the 

 weight of the bunches lying thus in a heap ; for the - 

 reception whereof a veflel is placed under the fpout, 

 on the outiide of the wall. 



Where the plain comes in contact with the moun- 

 tains, and on the lower part of the mountains them- 

 felves, the country has a wilder afpecl. Here it is di- 

 vided into terraffes of various breadths ; and thefe are 

 mofrly appropriated to the culture of the vine. Be- 

 yond thefe, all the higher ground is abundantly 



. flocked 



