146 TREATISE ON THE 



est perfection) who remove the excess of earth 

 accumulated at the foot of the plant by the wash 

 of the mountains, but once in every two or three 

 years. I consider this method as extremely in- 

 judicious, because, the earth thus accumulated 

 around the foot of the plant, particularly in the 

 vineyard occupying the inclination of a hill, 

 buries the young branches, leaving, on the con- 

 trary, the roots of others uncovered and dan- 

 gerously exposed. 



This is peculiarly the case where the inclina- 

 tion is precipitous, and not unfrequently where 

 it is even gentle, as the heavy rains of summer 

 greatly expose to such inconvenience the gravel- 

 ly soil of the vineyard. 



When the branches are thus partially covered, 

 the vine cannot ripen its fruit; my opinion, 

 therefore, is, that such accumulation should be 

 removed from the foot of the plant every spring, 

 the work to be performed in a dry time, before 

 the vine begins to push into leaf. The trellise 

 vines, ranged against the wall, the roots of 

 which have by the washing of the rains of winter, 

 become uncovered and exposed, should be pro- 

 tected by a fresh covering of soil, around the 

 foot of each plant; the soil around which, should, 

 before the application of the new covering, be 

 carefully broken up and worked, till the whole 

 be left soft and mellow; and should it be neces- 

 sary to manure them, the manure should be 

 worked at the digging, and not applied superfi- 

 cially, as the inconvenience before mentioned 

 will ensue, that the vine will push its roots near 

 the surface, to the great injury of the plant. 



