INTRODUCTION. 51 



ly beneath the roots of the plant. Whether or 

 not they have been adopted in draining our wet 

 lands, I am unable to say; but they are effective 

 to that purpose ; and in a country where land 

 bears so high a value' as the vinegrounds of 

 Switzerland, the soil preserved forms no incon- 

 siderable feature in a calculation of the expense 

 of sinking them. The trenches are filled with 

 large broken stones, the angles of which prevent 

 too close a contact, affording a passage for the 

 water from above, and the moisture of the springs, 

 if any, from the soil, percolate till they are dis- 

 charged at the outlet into the public highway, or 

 some neighbouring brook. On the surface of the 

 soil they are not seen, as a deep covering of earth 

 conceals them from superficial observation, form- 

 ing thereby no interruption to the profitable cul- 

 tivation of the ground. 



By these means the superabundant moisture is 

 discharged, and the land, which in our country 

 is lost from ditches cut for the draining of wet 

 soils, is preserved to the Swiss proprietor. The 

 humidity of the climate of Switzerland induces 

 cultivation, which greatly increases the expense 

 of the vigneron, and which may not be found 

 necessary or even advantageous with us. 



Were I to cultivate the vine in Pennsylvania, 

 with no more light than I at present possess on 

 the subject, I should not, as in Switzerland, se- 

 lect as absolutely necessary (though I admit 

 that a decided preference should be given it) the 

 inclination of a hill as the site of my vineyard. 

 I should seek to unite an arid soil and a dry at- 

 mosphere, and, with this view, when the choice 



