[3142] See Columella, De Re Rust. B. iv. c. 29.
[3143] The real reason, as Fée remarks, is the comparative facility of cutting aslant rather than horizontally; indeed, if the latter were attempted, injury to the wood would be the certain result.
[3144] The pruning should come first, in every case, Fée says.
[3145] De Re Rust. c. 33. The advice given by him, though good, is not applicable to all vineyards.
[3146] A sort of clover, probably. See B. xviii. c. 42, and a few lines below.
[3147] From the Greek ὠκέως, “quickly”—Varro says.
[3148] See c. [15] of this Book.
[3149] It is still practised in Dauphiné and the department of the Basses Alpes. It is very prevalent, also, in the South of Italy.
[3150] All these trees are still employed for the purpose in Italy.