1893.] ESSAYS. 47 



and return in season to finish this paper at the appointed time, 1 will 

 give you a short pen picture of my location. Pearl Hill is situated 

 two miles north of the City of Fitchburg, and at its base is about 3^ 

 miles long by 1^ wide. Leaving the City by the way of North Street 

 you are scarcely out of its smoke before the hill looms up before you. 

 As we approach it from this point the top of the hill presents a very 

 bold front, from its rocky southern point, called Andrews Point ; it 

 extends away for three-fourths of a mile to the north and east. 

 Reaching the top of Andrews Point we find ourselves standing on a 

 massive ledge of rocks, composed mostly of Mica Chist, and sloping 

 to the west and south. From this point a broad panorama is spread 

 out before us : 250 feet below us, and less than one-fourth of a mile 

 away, lies Pomalaud, the home of Dr. Fisher, the veteran grape 

 grower in Northefu Massachusetts ; farther to the south we see the 

 smoke from a railroad train — it has just arrived from Boston, having 

 travelled fifty miles and climbed 600 feet, while we, scarcely two miles 

 away, are 400 feet above its drive wheels. Turning to the east, 

 should it be in early morning, we should see the blood-red oi'b slowly 

 lifting itself from its morning bath in old Atlantic, and as it gradually 

 rose shaking the water from his huge form, while through the morning 

 mist he sent kisses of sunbeams falling at our very feet, and lighting 

 up a set of farm buildings within call of us, yet 200 feet below. It 

 is to the northAvest of these, on a gentle southeast slope, protected on 

 the north and west by this ledge of rocks, rising 150 feet above it, 

 that the vineyard where I have spent the greater part of my time for 

 the past twenty years is located. Let us examine the soil ; we find it 

 a good loam, with a hard-pan bottom. This ledge is constantly 

 decomposing, and by the storms and melting snows is brought down 

 the steep hillside to this field, and we think adds no little to the fertil- 

 ity of the laud. Having selected the spot, let us now prepare the 

 land. I would prefer a good sod, after the grass has been cut; let it 

 be plowed not less than six, or more than eight inches deep ; then see 

 to it that it is harrowed until it is all cut to pieces ; during the fall, 

 winter, or early spring, apply twenty cart loads of cow manure to the 

 acre. As soon as the land is dry enough to work in the spring start 

 the harrow again, and when your field is in good condition to plant to 

 corn it is all right to plant to grapes. But first let us mark it out. 

 You must have decided before this what method you wish to follow, 

 and how far apart you wish the rows and vines, for the viticulturist 

 cannot change his method of training every season, but he must adopt 

 some system and follow it for a number of years, until he is con- 



