$16 
surrounding earth only once in the 
spring, with clumsy spades, — this 
branch of ceconomy is attended with 
less expence than in other coun- 
tries, but is at the same time less 
profitable. The latter circumstance 
must chiefly be attributed to the 
barrenness of the marly soil, espe- 
eially at Sudagh; for that in the 
vale of Koos is not only richer, but 
also more produétive. The inhabi- 
tants exert all their endeavours to 
assist nature, by forming canals, in- 
to which water-is conduéted from 
the springs and streams, for the pur- 
pose of copious irrigation both in 
the winter and in autumn, as well as 
in the spring, and immediately after 
the vine has flowered. These irri- 
gations are so considerable, that the 
vineyards may be compared to fens. 
By such mismanagement, the quality 
of the grapes is greatly impaired ; 
and expert vine-dressers water the 
plants only once in the winter, and 
in the spring; as, by negleéting 
those operations, the stock would 
neither shoot forth a sufficient por- 
tion of fertile wood for the succeed- 
ing year, nor even bear any fruit ; 
nay, it would, perhaps, gradually 
wither. On account of the drought 
usually prevailing in summer, all the 
vineyards are planted uniformly in 
the vallies, where gutters can be 
employed for supplying them with 
water. 
In the southern dales, the vine 
is trained as low as possible, so that 
only three eyes are left on its trunk 
in the spring, the rest being remov- 
ed as superfluous: hence all the 
stocks are knotty, crooked, and 
Hie on the ground, spread out in the 
form of a fan. Those who leave a 
greater number of eyes, with the 
view of obtaining a more abundant 
vintage, incur the: risk of exhaust- 
. 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1803. 
ing or spoiling their vines for seéve- 
ral years; so that they would be 
obliged to saw off their trunks near 
the ground, or even to bury them 
entirely. After having attained the 
height of three feet six inches, they 
yield but little fruit, are exposed to 
storms, and require to be earthed up 
for their support. There are, how~ 
ever, some kinds of vines, which 
may be trained higher, for arbours 
and espaliers; nay, if newly 
planted vineyards were properly 
manured, several varieties would 
probably shoot up with greater lux- 
uriance, produce stronger branches, 
and yield more profit. At the same 
time, healthier vine stocks might be 
obtained, than at present result from 
such frequent cuttings. On the 
other hand, this method would be 
more expensive than that now prac- 
tised, on account of the stakes and 
lattices for espaliers, which would 
become necessary; nor would the 
grapes ripen so completely: for 
even the taller sorts mature more 
perfectly, and afford sweeter fruit 
when they are cropped, and, ac- 
cording to the custom of the coun- 
try, supported only by the short 
trunks of the cornelian cherry-tree, 
or Tshatall; to the branches of 
which the vine shoots become spon 
taneously attached. 
At Astrakhan, where the vine is 
buried with all its wood, it never 
flowers later than the 15th of May, 
unless the spring produce some rare 
exceptions : it is somewhat later on 
the banks of the Alma and Katsha, 
where it is simply overspread with 
earth which is removed in the ver- 
nal season. On the contrary, in 
the southern vallies, where the vine 
is never covered, the buds and 
flowers génerally appear, at least — 
fifteen days later: the grapes, like- 
wise, 
