VINE IN ITALY. 81 



ner that the broad leaf of the mulberry effectually 

 shelters the fruit from the scorching heats of the 

 Italian sun. I consider this mode of supporting 

 the vine, as deckledly objectionable. The roots 

 of the living tree cannot fail greatly to check the 

 growth of the plant, choking the fibrous radicles 

 which, like so many feelers, the vine puts forth in 

 every direction, in search of nutrition and ali- 

 ment. Every vine dresser is aware of the im- 

 portance of keeping his grounds free of weeds, 

 and especially the vine itself, from the noxious 

 parasitic with which, under a negligent culture, 

 the vineyard is infested. This remark applies 

 also to any extraneous cultivation among the 

 vines; and it is in cupidity, not ignorance, that 

 the Italian cultivator gives to his vines the sup- 

 port of the living tree. Of the four cardinal 

 sources, of the wealth, for example, of Tuscany, 

 the silk worm is not the least ; and the leaf of 

 the mulberry, as is well known, is the favourite 

 food of that industrious little minister to the 

 vanity of their fairer portion of the civil commu- 

 nity. With the Italian community, the cultiva- 

 tion, therefore, is of interest, as he derives from 

 the labours of the silk worm a more than full 

 indemnity for the injury inflicted on the vine- 

 yard. Such motive cannot influence us in the 

 cultivation, as our country affords sufficient space 

 to allot to each a distinct establishment; whilst in 

 Italy they have been crowded together, by the 

 necessities of a dense population, and the conse- 

 quent high price of land. 



It does not appear to me that it will be found 

 necessary in our country, to leave so great a space 



