SOIL, SITUATION AND ASPECT. 47 



and, secondly, its openness and freedom from over- 

 shadowing influences. A wall is a good illustration 

 of the latter the north side having a northern expo- 

 sure, and causing fruit planted against it to ripen at 

 a much later period than that planted on the south 

 side, which has a southern exposure. The little 

 raised mounds or flower-beds, to be found in every 

 garden, exhibit the influence exerted by the inclina- 

 tion of the earth the vegetation on the south side 

 being usually some days earlier than that on the 

 north. 



For vineyards, the best exposure is undoubtedly a 

 southern one, slightly inclined toward the east, or at 

 least fully protected from the west, and also from the 

 early morning rays. " It has often been observed 

 that woods or thick trees, buildings, high, broad 

 fences, or steep hills, on the east side of peach 

 orchards, protect the crop. Hence the erroneous 

 opinion, that it is the east winds which do the dam- 

 age. It is the sunshine upon the frozen buds which 

 destroys them ; hence a clouded sky, after a clear 

 frosty night, by preventing sudden thawing, some- 

 times saves a crop. Covering trees of rare kinds 

 with mats, to shade them from the morning sun, 

 after an intensely frosty night, might sometimes be 

 highly beneficial." (Thomas.) 



In this connection, it may be proper to consider 



