GRAPES. CULTIVATION, SOIL, ETC. 265 



other ; and there is only one pruning given in the course 

 of the year, which is in February or the beginning of 

 March. 



The same system of restriction is practised at the Clos 

 de Vougeaud; the vines being kept low, and the ground 

 never manured. This is regarded as the best vineyard in 

 France, and was sold during the revolution, and in 1794, 

 for 1,100,000 francs. This vineyard is walled round. 

 The soil is calcareous, on a foundation of limestone or 

 calcareous rocks. 



I subjoin, in this place, the remarks of the Hon. John 

 Lowell, from the New England Farmer, inserted by him. 

 " From a history of the culture of the vine in France, which 

 I have carefully gone over, I find that the plan of planting 

 the vines very near to each other, in all the middle, and 

 especially the northern provinces, has been of high anti- 

 quity. In 1763, an innovator appeared in France. M. 

 Maupin, in his treatise entitled " A new Method of Culti- 

 vating the Vine," contended that the vines should be 

 planted four feet from each other. All France was alive 

 to the question. The experiment was fairly tried, and 

 failed, and the French returned to their old system of close 

 planting and short pruning." 



The finest grapes of France are those of Thomery. By 

 enlarging particularly on their modes of cultivation, I am 

 describing not theirs alone, but other systems too, whose 

 principles may all here be found, this being the combined 

 and perfect system of other most perfect systems ; the 

 principles which are in this system developed, not being 

 adapted exclusively to the vine, but will serve to enlighten 

 and instruct in regard to the management of other trees 

 and plants. 



The village of Thomery is situated in the Forest of 

 Fontainbleau, about a league from the palace, and about 

 twenty-eight miles from Paris. It was formerly occupied 

 by vineyards, producing a poor vin du pays, and has not 

 been enclosed for the cultivation of table fruit until the 

 last forty-five years. At present, says Mr. Robertson, about 

 six hundred acres are walled in for this purpose, in numer- 

 ous small properties and divisions. 



The first introduction of the system of training and 

 managing the vine at Thomery, to the notice of the Amer- 

 ican public, is justly due to Mr. Lowell. His account, 

 23" 



