ON SOIL. 47 



local circumstances will permit, is exceedingly well 

 calculated for the purpose, and the surfaces of it being 

 rendered white and smooth by the attrition of the sea, 

 it produces a very pleasing and cheerful effect. 



The border should be perfectly level, or, if a slop- 

 ing surface cannot be avoided, the descent must be 

 from the wall. No other plant or tree of any descrip- 

 tion should be intermixed with the vines, or trained 

 against the wall. If other trees be trained on the 

 surface of the wall amongst the vines, the current 

 year's shoots of the latter will be liable to be shaded, 

 and impeded in their growth and training, and be 

 thereby deprived of the full advantages of the heat of 

 the wall. 



It will also prove very beneficial to the growth and 

 fertility of the vines, and to the flavor of the fruit, if 

 the border in which they are planted be never 

 cropped nor digged. The cropping of a vine border 

 is of a highly mjurious tendency, for it not only 

 impoverishes the soil, but shades it from the influence 

 of the sun and air, which is a consideration of the 

 very last importance. Soiar heat, indeed, is the 

 only thing that this country is deficient in, as it 

 respects the culture of the vine; and there can be no 

 doubt, I think, that if we had but a trifling portion 

 more of it, the southern parts of England would pro- 

 duce grapes on open walls, equal in point of flavor to 

 those grown in the most auspicious climates. Great 

 care, therefore, ought to be taken never to intercept 

 or obstruct for a smgle hour, during any part of the 

 year, the full and du'ect operation of the sun and air 

 on the surface of a vine border. 



It must also be stated, that after a vine has been 

 planted three or four years, its roots will begin to 

 make their way upwards, towards the surface of the 

 border, doubtless attracted thither by the joint influ- 

 ence of the sun and air. And if the border be not 

 disturbed by cropping or digging, they will come up 

 close to the surface about the ninth or tenth year. 

 In this situation they receive an extraordinary in- 



