The Vine in Europe — Manures. 



269 



Extracts from a Lecture by Prof Bechi , of Floreucc . 



THE YINE IN EUEOPE— MANUEES. 



In the treatment of vineyards, three 

 systems are followed : In some local- 

 ities, no manure at all is used; in 

 others, nitrogenous matters are em- 

 ploj^ed; while in others the manure 

 applied is derived from various or- 

 ganic elements — wine pomace, etc. 

 Before discussing the respective value 

 of these systems, let us examine what 

 the grape needs most — that is to say, 

 what it takes from the soil. 



If we take a vine in its normal 

 condition — that is, growing in an 

 appropriate soil — and if we analj^ze 

 the ashes obtained from all its parts 

 and products, we find that potash is 

 the predominating element. And it 

 cannot be contended that its occur- 

 rence is fortuitous, for it is, on the 

 contrary, not only useful but essen- 

 tial, since it is demonstrated that 

 grapes grown in a soil deprived of 

 potash never thrive, and iiltimately 

 perish. This indispensable element 

 may be replaced to a certain extent 

 by others, such as lime or soda, but 

 never completely. Calculations made 

 in Tuscany have brought out the 

 fact that the wine raised in that 

 province deprives the soil, annually, 

 of about 60,000 pounds of potash, to 

 which large amount we must add the 

 quantity absorbed by the other parts 

 of the plant — canes, leaves, etc. The 

 whole amount of potash thus taken 

 from the soil by the grape, has been 

 estimated at about 56 pounds per 

 acre. 



FIRST SYSTEM NO MANURES. 



In places where no manure is used, 



as in the Sicilian province of Catane, 

 a thorough tillage is said to replace 

 it ; but this extra tillage simply brings 

 the soil in more intimate contact with 

 atmospheric agents, causing the sili- 

 cates of potash to dissolve and assim- 

 ilate more rapidly. This exhausting 

 mode of culture will in time deprive 

 the soil of its last vestige of potash. 

 It is sufficient to onl}' know the num- 

 ber of vines to the acre, and the com- 

 position of the soil, to foretell exactly 

 the duration of the vinej'ard. The 

 no-manure system, then, may seem 

 excellent at first sight, but it surely 

 brings on exhaustion and ruin for our 

 successors. 



SECOND SYSTEM— NITROGENOUS MANURES. 



It comprises stable and outhouse 

 manures, horn shavings, woolen rags, 

 or other substance chemically pre- 

 pared. 



It is a well authenticated fact that, 

 under the action of nitrogenous 

 agents, the grape grows more luxu- 

 riant, its leaves are larger, its pi'oduct 

 increases in quantity. But the fruits 

 of vineyards so manured have an ac- 

 knowledged defect — they impart to 

 the wine a flavor which recalls the 

 kind of manure applied. An instance 

 can be cited of an Italian vintner 

 who, twenty years ago, acted on the 

 unlucky idea of manuring one of his 

 vineyards with night soil. Up to 

 this day the wine still retains the em- 

 pyreumatic odor peculiar to the ma- 

 nure used, and the vintner has to 

 manufacture it apart from the rest. 

 {To he continued.^ 



