i86 On the Cultivation of the Vine , 
earth requires to be sheltered from the excessive heat of 
the sun ; the grapes themselves have need of being pro- 
tected from its scorching rays, and to accomplish this 
view the vines are suffered to creep on the ground ; they 
then every where form a covering sufficiently thick and 
close to defend the earth, and a great part of the grapes, 
from the direct action of the sun. But when the increase 
of the grapes has attained to its maximum, and nothing 
is necessary but to bring them to maturity, the cultivators 
collect in bundles the different branches of the vine, un 
cover the grapes, and by these means facilitate the ma- 
turation. In this case they really produce the same ef- 
fect as is produced by propping ; but recourse is had to 
this method only when the grapes are too abundant, or 
when the vines grow in soil too fat or humid. In some 
countries the vines are stripped of their leaves, which 
produces nearly the same effect ; in others, the pedicle 
of the grapes is twisted to determine the maturity by 
checking the vegetation. The ancients, according to Pli- 
ny, prepared their sweet wines in this manner : Ut dul~ 
da prceterea ji event, asservabant uvas diutius in vite. 
jpediculo intorto . 
The method of pruning the vines has also a great influ- 
ence on the nature of the wine. The greater the num- 
ber of branches left to one vine, the more abundant the 
grapes, but the worse is the quality of the wine. 
The art of cultivating the vine, and the method of 
planting it, have a powerful influence on the quality and 
quantity of the wine. To show the effect which cultiva- 
tion has on the vine, it will be sufficient to observe what 
takes place in regard to vines left to themselves ; it will 
be found that the soil, soon covered with foreign plants, 
acquires firmness, and is afterwards but imperfectly ac- 
cessible to the air and to water. The vine, being no ion- 
ger pruned, sends forth weak shoots, and produces grapes 
