50 OPEN AIR GRAPE CULTURE. 



' CHAPTEK in. 



PREPARATION OF THE SOIL AND FORMATION OF VINE 

 BORDERS. 



Having selected a proper site for a vineyard, the 

 next step will be to prepare the soil for the reception 

 of the young vines. It is rarely if ever that ground 

 can be found in a condition fit to plant a vineyard 

 without thorough and extensive improvements, and 

 unless it be in proper order our hopes of success will 

 end in failure and disappointment. 



In our remarks on soil it was stated that one abso- 

 lute necessity is a dry subsoil. Ko other good quali- 

 ties can compensate for the want of this, and in most 

 cases it is only to be obtained by thorough draining. 



The first great evil obviated by thorough draining 

 is the existence of stagnant water beneath the sur- 

 face. It is a saying amongst vine-dressers that " the 

 vine cannot bear wet feet." And nothing can be 

 more true. If the roots be exposed to stagnant water 

 they will become diseased and die off, thus giving 

 rise to weak and ill-ripened though sometimes succu- 

 lent growth, and hence causing the vine to sufi'er from 



