INTRODUCTION. 27 



off and partitioned into three divisions. The 

 first of these is called the Canton de l'*fline; the 

 second, the Canton Chevalier; the third, Canton 

 Batard. 



The wines of these divisions, though all sub- 

 mitted to the same cultivation and making, are 

 essentially different ; nor does it appear within 

 the scope of agricultural skill to fathom the mys- 

 tery, or assign any tenable hypothesis for the 

 erratic deviation. 



The vine is the staple of the country from 

 Dijon to Lyons, and, with few exceptions, the 

 cultivation is similar, and the appearance of the 

 vine grounds the same. The rows' of the vine- 

 yard are about two feet asunder, and the plants 

 cut down to the height of four feet, supported in 

 some cases by two upright props placed on each 

 side, at the distance of a foot from the vine. . In 

 most of the plantations, however, there is but one 

 prop to each; arising probably from motives of 

 economy where, from the scarcity of timber, the 

 expense isby no means to be disregarded. It is the 

 general practice in Switzerland to take up these 

 stalksin theautumn immediately after the vintage. 

 They are usually kept in the barn, or some dry 

 building, protected from the snows and rains of 

 winter, and though the labour of so doing, and that 

 of replacing them in the ensuing spring, would 

 probably prevent with us such a measure, it is in 

 that country considered that the preservation of 

 them thereby gained for three or four years 

 longer fully indemnifies the vigneron for the la- 

 bour of the operation. 



As I have not, in France, been farther south 



