78 CULTIVATION OJ 1 THE 



that country, assumes the appearance, which a 

 difference of climate and treatment have given 

 to the Italian vineyard. One of the most re-* 

 markable of the vine growing districts on this 

 route, is at the village of St. Julien, the singular 

 aspect of which can hardly fail to arrest the at- 

 tention of the traveller at all curious^ in the 

 study of the vine. The vineyards of St. Julien 

 occupy the sides of the most barren rocks of 

 that country ; and I was at a loss to discover the 

 necessary soil for the support of the plants. 

 The vines were not more than six inches in 

 height; of short stunted growth, and crowded 

 together in a confused mass, without order, the 

 space intervening being scarcely sufficient to 

 allow the weeding them. The weeding, if any, 

 must of course be the work of the hand, though 

 I could not perceive enough of soil to presup- 

 pose the necessity of that operation. It is to the 

 peculiarity of this stony loca le, the reflected heat 

 of the sun, and the absence of humidity from 

 springs in the vine grounds, that the delicate 

 flavour of the wines of St Julien is to be ascribed. 

 The extreme sterility of soil, which checks in the 

 plant that tendency to florid vegetation which is 

 so strongly characteristic of the vine, is regarded 

 by the vigneron of that district, as conducing in 

 no small degree to the reputation of his vintage. 

 But the delicacy of these wines is such, that 

 they do not bear a foreign transportation, and 

 when drunk abroad, they are of necessity so 

 highly reinforced, that they bear an inferior and 

 different character. Both red and white wines 

 are produced at St. Julien. I consider the latter 



