166 TREATISE ON THE 



and it were better that in such, the ground 

 should be damp, or even a little wet. 



In a light soil, the work should not be too 

 deep; should the weather be favourable, no great 

 risk is incurred where the workmen are careful 

 in performing this labour, whilst the vine is in 

 flower; but great attention should be given not 

 to agitate the blossoms, particularly .should the 

 season be backward.* 



Those vines, which in the digging have receiv- 

 ed an indifferent labour, should be carefully 

 weeded and broken up at an early period, by 

 deep digging, and particularly in a dry time. 

 The proper depth is from four to six inches. 

 There are, however, some vine dressers, who 

 will not allow their grounds to be broken up in 

 a dry time, nor yet whilst the plant is in blossom. 

 They profess to think that the dust arising from 

 the digging when the soil is dry, settles on the 

 blossom, and causes the fruit to discharge its 

 fluid. I once entertained this opinion; but after 

 a careful and attentive observation of the circum- 

 stances, am decidedly of the conviction that it is 

 erroneous. 



In the vineyards adjoining the high road, 

 which in dry seasons are generally covered with 

 dust, this inconvenience exists to a great degree, 

 and on seeing them so covered that the colour of 

 the plant, and its product, can hardly be distin- 

 guished, it would be a fair supposition that the 



* The American cultivator may understand this in his own 

 manner. With due deference to our author, there appears to me 

 a little contradiction on this subject. I incline to his former 

 opinion. TRANS. 



