4-Z OFTHECULTURE Part III. 



I was the more readily induced to turn my thoughts towards 

 that important branch of agriculture, as it feemed to me to have 

 been too much neglefted for a long time. I plainly faw that our 

 methods of cultivating the vine were, in general, net only defedive, 

 but -badly executed, and that, in the common way of planting 

 vineyards, the produce could not be proportioned to the great ex- 

 pence. 



I fhall not at prefent enter into a detail of the principles and mo- 

 tives of my new fcheme for the culture of the vine : that tafk would 

 be too long for this work : and I fliould be likewife glad firft to fee 

 the advantages of my method confirmed by a feries of experiments 

 repeated for feveral years together. My different operations, and firft 

 fuccefs, are all that I fhall mention now. 



Every country has, in the culture of the vine, fome pradlice or 

 other peculiar to itfelf, and which is thought efiential there, though 

 it be rejeded in other places. All agree in pruning the vine, and^in 

 flirring the earth round it : but neither of theie operations is per- 

 formed in the fame manner every where. 



For the better underftanding of my new culture, it is neceffary 

 that I fhouldgive an idea of the manner in which our vineyards are 

 laid out and planted. Their expofition is generally to the Eaft or 

 South, on a good deep foil, which has a gentle declivity, or on the 

 fide of a hill. The whole furface of the ground is planted without 

 order or fymmctryj fo that the vines are, almoft always either too- 

 elofe together, or too far afunder: very few are at proper diftances. 

 As the old vines decay and perifh, the chafms are filled up by layers 

 from the next neighbouring vines. This is the general difpofition of 

 our vineyards, from which great inconveniences muil neceffarily 

 arife : but I fliall not eater into a detail of them. 



With regard to the culture of the vine, it is fufficient, for my 

 prefent purpofe, to obferve, that the whole of that labour is now 

 performed by hand, which renders it very expenfive. 1 fay nothing 

 of the manner in which it is executed ; that part having appeared 

 to me fo verydefedtive, that I haye been obliged to alter and correct 

 it in every point. 



By this fliort preamble, it may eafily be feen, that in order to- 

 improve the culture of the viae, and bring it to greater perfedion, it 

 was neceffr.ry that 1 fhould attend chiefly to the three fojlowing 

 things. 1 . To dilpofe the vines in a better manner, by planting 

 them m ftrait lines, and at eqiial diftances from each otlier. 2. Ta 



coatriv& 



