Chap. XII. O F T H E V I N E. 403 



contrive that difpofition, fo as to lefTen the prefent expence of cul- 

 ture, by ufing a plough to flir the ground in one part of the vine- 

 yard, whilll: the other fliould continue to be ftined with the fpade. 

 3. To execute the feveral cultures of the vine, in fuch manner as 

 to make them promote its vegetation more than they do in any of 

 the common methods. 



I fhall treat each of thefe three articles feparately. 



I. Of the difpofition of the Vines in the vineyard. 



''T^HE difpofition which feemed to me the moft agreeable to the 

 -■■ principles of the new hulbandry, by which I was guided, was 

 to lay the vineyards out in beds, as we do fields for corn, obferving 

 to leave an alley between every two beds, and making each bed five 

 feet wide, in order to plant it with three rows of vines, which, by 

 that means, would be 30 inches afunder, arid the vines at the fame 

 diftance from each other in the rows. 



As to the alleys, I thought it would be right to make them alfo 

 five feet wide : and what I fliall fay hereafter will fliew, that about 

 that width is necelfary. 



However, as that difpolition might not be the beft, . I tried others 

 on fmall fpots of ground, by planting the vines at other diftances. 

 Some were planted in fingle rows three feet and a half afunder ; 

 others in double rows, and in beds, with alleys of three feet and a 

 half between them. Thcfe plantations were made in the fpring' 



But as I could not expe6t to fee the event of thefe trials, till a con- 

 fiderable time after making them, eight or ten years, at leaft, being 

 requifite to {hew what the fuccefs would be, when the vines fliould 

 be come to their full ftrength and bearing j I confidered at the fame 

 time, by what means I might abridge an experiment which was to 

 be of fo long a duration. 



To that end, I formed a bed of vines, in a vineyard planted 24 

 years before. The vineyard was good, and yielded plentiful crops. 

 I made my bed five feet wide, and planted it by laying down ftocks 

 of the old vines, to make the two outward rows, leaving two feet 

 and a half diftance from one layer to another. The old vines, which 

 happened to be pretty well fituated, formed the middle row. The 

 remainder of the bed, which is 40 perches long, was planted with 

 layers. 



Fff2 An 



