INTRODUCTION. 55 



river or lake. The country of the Rhine and 

 Danube produce the most recherche of wines. 



The vineyards from which we have the Tokay, 

 are in the vicinity of the Tesse. Those of the 

 Hermitage, Cote, Rotie, with other fine wines, are 

 on the banks of the Rhone. The best wines of 

 Switzerland, those of La Vaux, and La Cote, are 

 on the shores of the Lake of Geneva, and the red 

 wines of Cortaillod, in the Canton of Neufchatel, 

 are on the banks of the lake of that name. 

 Whilst, therefore, the European planter depre- 

 cates as an evil the heavy and continued rains, 

 he invites as we perceive for his vineyard the 

 gentle dews of the mountain, and evaporations of 

 the lake. But little can be positively assumed 

 as to the precise period at which the vine was 

 first introduced into Switzerland. Tradition af- 

 firms that the first vineyards of that country 

 were planted by a monastery of Friars, between 

 the towns of Lausanne and Vevey, on a steep 

 hill on the borders of the lake of Geneva, in the 

 district of La Vaux, where at this day the best 

 wines of the Canton of Vaud are produced, and 

 where the vine lands of Switzerland have attain- 

 ed their maximum of value. 



I have examined the soil of these positions, 

 which is porous and stony, and so precipitous is 

 the descent, even to the margin of the lake, that 

 to prevent the wash of the torrent, it has been 

 found necessary to cut the mountain into terraces, 

 a custom which, in such situations, is general in 

 that country. These terraces rise above each 

 other like steps, and when viewed from the 

 deck of a steamer on the lake, form a pleasing 



