LOCATION AND SOIL. ' 17 



they draw frosts, and smithies or other large labora- 

 tories or manilfactories, are also to be avoided on ac- 

 count of the smoke. 



Much depends, also, upon the quality of the soil, 

 which changes often within a very small space of 

 ground. A grapevine will grow, to be sure, where 

 other plants grow, but the quality of the wine is 

 always modified by the kind of soil. 



A heavy soil — one composed of sticky clay — will 

 not permit sun and rain to penetrate, and may there- 

 fore be termed a cold soil. In such, grapevines soon 

 become weak and sickly ; in wet seasons their foliage 

 is apt to have a yelloAvish tint ; the roots rot, and even 

 where that should accidentally not take place, the qual- 

 ity of the wine will never be very good. The only Avay 

 to render such a soil fit for a vineyard, is by a copiou.s 

 application of lime or marl mixed with sand, — yet it 

 may be done, but not efficiently, by mixing with it a 

 sandy loam. Little, however, as vineyards will prosper 

 in such cold soils, they will succeed just as little in too 

 light sandy soils, unless well mixed with clay loam, or 

 clayey marl. 



The soil most to be preferred in climates such as the 

 Northern and Middle States of this Union, is that so 

 generally prevailing rich loam, mixed with some gravel 

 and marl. This kind of soil differs largely in various 

 locations, and it will take a more or less lengthened 



