Page:A Treatise on the Culture of the Vine and, and the Art of Making Wine.pdf/144

 Far from disturbing the roots in the tillage of the soil, the instrument should rather scrape the surface close to the stock, than penetrate near them. The roots from the inferior part of the plant, penetrate beyond the reach of the instrument; but those slender filaments, which come almost to the surface, are the most precious to the plant; and the destruction of these, by frequent and careless labouring, often causes a young and vigorous vine, to pass to a languishing and decaying state. The ground should be turned up in a direction transverse to the rows, and each operation should be in a manner opposite to the preceding; of course, this is understood only where the plough is not used; but this, though attended with more danger, and executing the work more imperfectly, and though, besides, prescribed by writers on the subject, is, consistently with my own knowledge, much used in many very excellent wine districts. The plough is worked by a pair of oxen, yoked by the horns, and muzzled, to prevent them from eating the foliage and fruit, of which they are remarkably fond. Several kinds of instruments of labour are described, as the spade, several sorts of hoes, and forks, &c. but those most in use are, an instrument, which I might describe, by comparing it to a small light spade, bent at one-third of its length from