THE VINE. ] 489 



before five to seven years, whereas cuttings planted at a 

 proper depth will bear fruit when the vine is three or 

 four years old. Vines, and indeed all fruit trees, whose 

 roots are comparatively close to the surface are invarably 

 more productive, and their produce is of better quality 

 and more sugary, as the superficial roots living in the 

 upper strata of the soil mellowed and improved by 

 cultivation as well as by the beneficial action of the sun 

 and of the atmosphere, are better nourished than the 

 deep root system whose function is chiefly to draw upon 

 the reserve of moisture in the subsoil. It is therefore 

 only necessary to plant deep enough so that the upper 

 main roots are not injured by tools during the ordinary 

 operations of tillage. A vine provided with only one or 

 two whorls of roots at a depth of 20 to 30 c m. grows 

 more vigorously and is probably more resistant to 

 drought than a vine with several whorls of half de- 

 veloped roots at various depths. 



Uniformity of pioduce is a very important con- 

 sideration for the wine manufacturer, and therefore the 

 vineyard however extensive should not consist of more 

 than two or three choice sorts of vines. The planter 

 should select those sorts which are known to give the 

 best results in his district. The best sort of vine should 

 constitute the bulk of the plantation, and another good 

 sort or perhaps two, may be planted in separate portions 

 of the vineyard, and the produce is only blended to- 

 gether in the required proportion during the manufactur- 

 ing process. If other sorts have crept into the vineyard 

 owing to some mistake in the selection of plants or 

 cuttings at the time of planting, they should be grafted 

 in order to secure a thorough uniformity of quality which 

 is always better paid for by the purchaser. 



In the extensive methods of viticulture as still 

 practised in some countries, particularly in various 

 districts of Italy, the vine is associated with other trees, 



