VINE IN ITALY. 93 ' 



when thus disclosed but little information to his 

 neighbour half a mile distant. 



" To judge the future by the past of man," is 

 the fruit of experience, in the study of human 

 character. This capricious member of the ve- 

 getable family sets at nought such reasoning; 

 and the only explanation we can give of its 

 habits, is in the reply of the blind man of the 

 parable, " one thing I know, that whereas I was 

 blind, now I see." The moral of the sentiment 

 applies in all cases to a new cultivation of the 

 vine, and its application is direct and palpable to 

 the introduction of it into the United States. It 

 is in fact an alien amongst us, as the limited ex- 

 tent to which it exists in our country, though 

 sufficient to demonstrate the practicability of the 

 cultivation, has not developed the rich resources, 

 which judicious experiment may disclose to in- 

 dustry and skill. 



I have before expressed the opinion, that we 

 shall know, a priori, the details, which in a few 

 years hence may be familiar to the American 

 vine grower; but availing of the practical know- 

 ledge which long experience has shed around 

 the operations of the most successful European 

 cultivators, we may commence with but little 

 fear of the result, the establishment of vine plan- 

 tations in those sections of the country, where 

 the summer affords a sufficient temperature, and 

 learn for ourselves the elements of a system, 

 which shall probably unite with our agriculture 

 a staple, the cultivation of which may soon be as 

 well understood as that of an ordinary crop of 

 grain. In deciding on adopting the culture of 



