337 
THE VINEYARD. 
Vine cuttings, preserved since the time of pruning, as directed 
in page 246, may yet be planted in the method pointed out in page 
247; and all the other work, directed to be done in the vineyard 
in March, should now be finished as early as possible. Rooted 
plants may also be planted out into rows at proper distances, but 
the earlier in the month the better. 
If neglected last month you must early in this, before the buds 
begin to shoot, either plough, dig, or deeply hoe the ground between 
the vines. This is indispensable; the surface must always be kept 
loose, clean, and free from weeds, or the consequence will be the 
having of few fruit, and these of a bad and insipid quality. Keep- 
ing the earth loose and pulverized, by frequent working, will cause 
it to attract the dews, imbibe the rains freely, when such occur, 
and consequently to be constantly stored with a sufficient supply 
of nourishment for the plants and fruit; and moreover the reflection 
of the sun, from the clean surface, will dry and dissipate the damps 
that would otherwise cause the fruit to become mildewed, and ren- 
der their quality crude and insipid. 
In looking over the vines, about the end of the month, observe 
to displace such young shoots or prominent buds as appear useless, 
or promise to be injurious to those intended for bearing fruit. Many 
small weakly shoots generally arise from the old stocks or branches, 
that seldom produce fruit, and are supernumerary; such should be 
rubbed off close, except in places where a supply of new v/ood or 
shoots for next year's bearing are wanted; in which case a suitable 
number should be carefully preserved. This operation ought, at 
this time, to be performed with the finger and thumb, nipping or 
rubbing them off close to where produced. 
Where two shoots arise from one bud, take the worst away, the 
remaining one will grow stronger, and its fruit be numerous and 
large in proportion. 
The vines should now have stakes placed to them, such as are 
directed to be made in page 48, and any old or decayed poles re- 
placed with new, if not done in the former months, in order to tie 
and train the young advancing shoots thereto. 
Any very long shoots of the last year, left upon strong and esta- 
blished stocks, for fruiting more abundantly, as directed in page 147, 
may, about the first of this month, when the sap has arisen, and the 
shoots become pliant, be bent round the stake, in the form of a 
hoop, and made fast thereto with a willow twig, &c., by this method 
it will break out into fruit more abundantly, and produce a less 
luxuriancyof wood, than if left in the ordinary way; but it must be 
bent gently, so as not to crack the bark, lest it should bleed and be 
weakened thereby, or become totally abortive. 
2T 
