KOOTS OP aRAPE VINES. 157 



while the roots are yet asleep, and have no part nor 

 lot in the matter ; and if the vine should have been 

 forced very early, the grapes will be actually swelled 

 off before the solar heat can have put in motion the 

 sap contained in the roots. Unless, therefore, artifi- 

 cial means be used to make the roots move before 

 their natural time, an early forced vine will present 

 the very singular anomaly of having produced a vast 

 mass of foliage, and a matured crop of grapes before 

 the roots can have contributed anything towards their 

 support. 



And what are the consequences that result from 

 compelling nature thus to produce foliage and perfect 

 fruit, when her grand agents, light and heat, are com- 

 paratively dormant? Simply these, that if the sap 

 contained in the trunk and branches of the vine be all 

 exhausted in the formation of the fruit and foliage, 

 before that in the roots can come to its assistance and 

 follow up the supply, the fruit is then exposed to the 

 fatal effects of shrivelling, and shanking, and all the 

 other numerous ills that so frequently befal early 

 forced grapes, and the vine itself suffers in conse- 

 quence, what may be very aptly termed, a complete 

 paralytic stroke ! 



Suflicieut, it is presumed, has now been said to show 

 the necessity of improving the culture of the vine, and 

 placing it on a more certain basis than it is at present 

 with reference to the management of the roots, by 

 surrounding them with such conditions as shall ap- 

 proximate more nearly to those they enjoy when grow- 

 ing indigenously in their native country ; and in doing 

 this the task will be abundantly simple. 



It has already been remarked that the roots of vines 

 delight to ramble amongst rocks and stones, and sim- 

 ilar substances, and that when vines are planted in 

 soils abounding in these substances, they always pro- 

 duce finer and better flavored grapes, than when 

 planted in any other description of soil. Such being 

 the case, there will be no diliiculty whatever in mak- 

 ing an artificial soil of this nature, which shall be cal- 

 14 



