ROOTS OF GRAPE VINES. 149 



in this country, how small a quantity of moisture, in 

 proportion, will be necessary to support a vine here, 

 where from the moisture of the air, and other obvious 

 circumstances, the leaves themselves collect a great 

 portion of the nourishment that maintains its vitahty. 



For it must not be forgotten, that in departing 

 northward from the native country of the vine, the 

 power of the sun gradually diminishes, and the cold- 

 ness of the soil as gradually increases, evaporation is 

 in consequence greatly reduced, and a far less quan- 

 tity of moisture, therefore, is required by the roots in 

 this country to supply the demands of the leaves. It 

 follows, then, that the nearer we approach the north- 

 ern limit of the vinous latitude, the drier ought the 

 soil to be in Avhich the roots of vines are planted. 



From this general rule, therefore, may be deduced 

 the important fact, that as this limit is many degrees 

 south of Britain, a collection of stones, or of similar 

 substances without any admixture of soil whatever, 

 will form the best border for the roots of vines in this 

 country. This may appear to be scarcely credible, 

 such however is the case; for theory distinctly points 

 it out, and practice amply confirms it. Many years' 

 experience, indeed, has satisfactorily convinced me, 

 that there is scarcely any description of soil in this 

 country that is not naturally too cold, or that does not 

 hold water in suspension too long to be well adapted 

 for the successful culture of the vine. 



A slight further consideration of the disadvan- 

 tageous difference that exists in the conditions which 

 nature has created for the perfection of the vine in its 

 native country, and those that exist in Britian, will 

 be sufficient to show that a decrease of moisture in 

 the soil, and a consequent increase of dryness and 

 warmth, are absolutely essential, in order to approxi- 

 mate as nearly as possible to the native soil of the vine. 



The mean annual temperature of Syria, the most 



favored country of the vine, is about 25" higher than 



that of England ; and to this very striking difference 



between the mean annual temperature of the two 



13* 



