PREFACE. 



IN submitting to the agricultural communi- 

 ty the following pages, I am incited by a deep 

 conviction of the importance of the subject. Hav- 

 ing long entertained a predilection for the Vine, I 

 have been naturally led to an investigation of the 

 habits of the plant, and an observation of the dif- 

 ferent methods of vine dressing in those coun- 

 tries where fortune has thrown me. 



During a residence of five years in the vine 

 districts of France, Switzerland, and Italy, I had 

 the most favourable opportunities particularly 

 in Switzerland to study the theory, and observe 

 the practice of their cultivation and wine making; 

 to inquire of intelligent proprietors the results of 

 their operations and investments; to mix with the 

 vine dressers in the several divisions of labour; 

 and to compare with the agriculture of our coun- 

 try the expenses and returns of the land holder 

 and farmer, under their peculiar circumstances 

 and different cultivation. The result is,, a deci- 

 ded conviction of the profits of vine growing, and 

 a settled belief, that by adopting the system ot 

 Swiss cultivation, we shall in time succeed in 

 the difficult task of acclimating to our country, 

 the foreign vine. There is perhaps no vine 

 country of Europe certainly none which I have 

 seen where the cultivation of the Grape has attain- 

 ed so great a perfection, and where the results ot 

 the vintage are so mediocre; where the vine- 



