The Tine in i/te Orient. 303 



and competence. In proportion to its extent of territory, peninsular Greece gloried 

 in a great diversity of soils and climates. Almost entirely surrounded by seas, it 

 had a surface made up of mountain, valley and plain most skillfully arranged; and a 

 soil of clay, sand, loam, or of volcanic origin, any one of which soils might be 

 encouraged to produce excellent grapes ; but the variety of vine selected, and the 

 treatment administered, must be judiciously adapted to each particular case. A 

 hillside looking towards the southeast, and possessing a volcanic soil, frequently 

 received the preference. The spot must be especially protected against the north, 

 northeast and northwest winds, either by abrupt hills or natural forests, or by groves 

 or other defences reared for that very purpose. And then, to bar the inroads of 

 beasts and lawless bipeds, a thick thorn-hedge was planted around the vineyard, and 

 a deep ditch enclosed all. Within was built or dug the wine press, with the huge 

 vat to receive the expressed juice ; and a tower was erected where the watchman 

 might guard the grounds against the depredations of birds, beasts and thieves, pre- 

 cisely as indicated in the Scripture parable of the vineyard that was let out to hus- 

 bandmen. 



The ground was carefully cleared of all trees and foreign plants and roots, except 

 in those cases where trees were to be employed for training the vines; and then such 

 as were required were pruned and allowed to remain. The soil was sometimes 

 trenched and always subdued and mellowed, and enriched if necessary. As the vine- 

 yard, when once planted, was expected to last for several generations, it behooved 

 the original planter of the vines to bestow labor, care and expense with a liberal 

 hand. 



When the chosen ground was a hillside, it was usually terraced, and thus, like the 

 famous hanging gardens at Babylon, or the vineclad hills of modern Switzerland, it 

 added to the general aspect of the country a charm of beauty to be relished by 

 native and stranger; and at the same time brought health and independence to the 

 possessor. 



There were three principal modes of training the vine, viz., on trees, on trellises 

 and on stakes; and not unfrequently old family vines, that were cherished as heir- 

 looms, might be seen climbing up walls, or adorning the front and sides of the peas- 

 ant's cottage. Then, when the scorching rays of a summer sun had compelled the 

 laborer to seek the cool shade at noon-day, he would be instinctively attracted to his 

 own cottage door, and there, while enjoying an hour's repose, he might regale him- 

 self upon the luscious clusters hanging temptingly within his reach. 



The slips were set with an eye to their future training. If they were to be sup- 

 ported by stakes, they were planted in rows and near to each other. If trellis was 

 to be used, the slips were placed near each other, and in rows at a considerable dis- 

 tance apart ; and when the vines were to twine about trees, they were separated much 

 further asunder, and sometimes without much regularity, according to the taste or 

 fancy of the proprietor. Doubtless each rustic endeavored to exhibit his indepen- 

 dence and gratify his own peculiar notions and whims in the planting and training 

 of his vine, being quite as loftily conscious of his rights and importance as are any 

 of the 40,000,000 of American sovereigns who are living twenty-five centuries later ; 

 but there are reasons for supposing that the vine was often trained upon trees where 



