142 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE, 



As to that part of the vine from which the cuttings should be 

 taken to secure success, it is believed in Europe, and I suppose 

 it to be true, that that wood which is most prolific and produces 

 the best and earliest bunches, is the best to cut from. Experi- 

 ments made at Thomery, near Paris, have proved that they are 

 the best. At least, all the grape-growers in that vicinity believe 

 that they increase the precocity of the vine by that method. 



Let me say a word about the Thomery method. It is sub- 

 stantially the horizontal method. Thomery has not a good aspect 

 for the grape, and the soil is cold. They build up walls of clay, 

 about eight feet high — of the proper thickness to stand — which 

 are covered with boards, both to prevent the rain from breaking- 

 down the clay walls, and to shed the water from the vines, 

 which are trained upon an espalier, close to the wall. The 

 vines are planted twenty inches apart. The first one is trained 

 on the lower bar of the espalier, with one arm running to the 

 right. The second one is trained on the second bar, with one 

 right hand arm and another short left hand arm, and so on all 

 the way up, the last one, that comes to the top of the espalier, 

 having an arm running wholly to the left hand. They are 

 closely pruned, and closely planted, which is the custom in 

 France. But it is a question, perhaps, whether they have not 

 debilitated the vine by the effect of too close pruning, and too 

 close planting. 



Now, as to feeding, let me instance another fact, from another 

 part of the world, which I think will satisfy you that the theory 

 is perfectly sound, that you must not feed your grape too much ; 

 although I want you not to forget that it must have those min- 

 eral constituents, phosphate of lime, potash and sulphur, in some 

 form. The application of sulphate of lime, or plaster of Paris, 

 is the best and cheapest method to apply sulphur. Among the 

 Lesser Cycladcs of the Greek Archipelago, is a little island 

 called Santorin. It is a volcanic island, which has been 

 peopled for many ages. It has undergone a good many changes 

 from the effect of volcanoes. At one time, it had a peak which 

 rose very high toward heaven, which in subsequent disturbances, 

 subsided altogether out of sight, leaving in the middle of the 

 island a basin, with fissures going to the outer sea, which are 

 now inlets to that haven, for the commerce of the place. The 

 phenomena attending that island arc of such a nature and of 



