510 pliny's natural history. [Book XVII. 
wards towards the ground, and should be made as lightly as 
possible, the edge of the knife being well-sharpened for the 
purpose, so as to make a clean cut each time. Care should be 
taken, too, to cut always between two buds, and that the eyes 
are not injured in the operation. It is generally thought that 
wherever the vine is black, all those parts may be cut off, the 
healthy parts not being touched ; as no useful shoots can be 
put forth by wood that is bad in itself. If a meagre vine has 
not good stock-shoots, the best plan is to cut it down to the 
ground, and then to train new ones. In clearing away the 
leaves, too, those leaves should not be removed which accompany 
the clusters, for by so doing the grapes are made to fall off, ex- 
cept where the vine happens to be young. Those leaves are 
regarded as useless which grow on the sides of the trunk and 
not from an eye ; and so, too, are the bunches which shoot 
from the hard, strong wood, and are only to be removed by the 
aid of the knife. 
Some persons are of opinion that it is a better plan to fix 
the stay midway between two vines ; and, indeed, by the adop- 
tion of this method the roots are cleared with greater facility. 
It is best, however, where the vine needs but a single cross- 
rail, due care being taken that the rail is a strong one, and the 
locality not exposed to high winds. In the case of those 
vines which require trellissed cross-rails, the stay should be 
placed as near as possible to the burden it has to support ; in 
order, however, that there may be no impediment thrown in 
the way of clearing the roots, it may be placed at the distance 
of one cubit from the stock, but not more. It is generally 
recommended to clear the roots before the pruning^^ is com- 
menced. 
Cato^^ gives the following general precepts in relation to the 
culture of the vine : — Let the vine grow as high as possible, 
and fasten it firmly, but not too tight. You should treat it in 
the following manner. Clean the roots of the vine at seed- 
time, and after pruning it dig about it, and then begin to 
labour at the ground, by tracing with the plough continuous 
furrows every way. Plant the young vines in layers as early 
as possible, and then break up the ground about them. If the 
4^ The pruning should come first, in every case, Fee says. 
De Re Rust, c 33. The advice given by him, though good, is not 
applicable to all vineyards. 
