152 PLANTING AND MANAGING 



repetition is necessary here for the sake of clearness), 

 equally balanced, that is, that every vine is sufficient- 

 ly strong in its growth to perfect all the grapes it pro- 

 duces; then in all these countries stimulants to the 

 soil may be added to advantage, because any increase 

 in the shoots of a vine there will be followed by a 

 corresponding increase in the quantity of fruit. 



Passing, however, the southern limit of this district 

 towards The tropic, the light and heat of the sun be- 

 comes too intense for the vine, the shoots and leaves 

 of which are enhausted by excessive perspiration, and 

 cannot, therefore, yield that nourishment which the 

 maturative powers of the plant require. 



In countries, therefore, where this is the case, 

 manure may be added to the soil with even greater 

 advantage than in the native district of the vine. But 

 as soon as we pass northward of that specific line of 

 demarcation which terminates the northern limit of 

 the indigenous district of the vine, the reverse, as has 

 been already stated, takes place. As the power of the 

 sun becomes progressively weaker, so also does the 

 fruit-bearing powers of the vine, while the growing 

 powers of it progressively increase. And when this 

 is the case, to stimulate the soil in which vines are 

 planted, is to cause an increase of growth, when that 

 growth is already naturally too strong. 



If, with an increase of growth, a corresponding 

 increase of solar light and heat could by any means 

 be produced, the case would be very different. Then, 

 indeed, the powers of the vine would harmonize 

 together, and the balance betwixt the roots, and the 

 foliage and fruit, be thereby more equally preserved. 

 But as this is impossible, other means than stimulating 

 the growing powers of the vine must be resorted to, 

 to make it become prolific, and those means are to 

 make the best possible use, in every conceivable way. 

 of the solar light and heat that we do possess. 



To return now to the consideration of the effects 

 of highly manured borders. It must, however, be 

 first remarked, that the preceding observations on the 



