THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 143 



of the solar rays, may be deemed the best. The best as- 

 pects in the southern parts of England are those that range 

 from the eastern to the southeastern, the last of which may 

 be considered the very best. The next best are those which 

 follow in succession from southeast to south. An aspect due 

 south is undoubtedly a very good one, but its exposure to 

 those strong winds which frequently blow from the southwest 

 forms a great drawback. The remaining aspects are those 

 which range successively from due south to due west. These 

 are all good ones provided they are sheltered, or partially so, 

 from the destructive effects of the high winds above men- 

 tioned. North of the western point, the maturation of the 

 wood and fruit of the vine becomes uncertain. East by north 

 is a very good one. North of this point, the solar rays are 

 not sufficiently powerful to mature either the wood or fruit." 

 — Treatise on the Grrape^ hy Clement Hoare. 1837. 



Chaptal says, " That the middle of a hill side produces the 

 best wine, the upper part the second best, and the bottom of 

 the hill the most inferior;" showing, apparently, that the 

 middle location contains the essential nourishment required, 

 that, in the upper part, there is a lack of this, and at the foot 

 of the hill there is either too much of it, or too much moisture. 



Monsieur de la Quintiney says of the Muscat grapes, that 

 they " require a temperate country and the expositions of the 

 south and east, and always a light ground ; we seldom see 

 any good in pure earth, and, if it be in hot cUmates, in grav- 

 elly and sandy grounds." Page 229. 



The Penny Cyclopaedia says of the aspect : " On the steep 

 slopes of hills towards the south, and sheltered from the 

 northeast, the grapes attam the greatest maturity, and the 

 vintage is most certain. So great an influence has a favora- 

 ble exposure, that in the same vineyard the greatest difference 

 exists between the wine made from one part and that made 

 from another, merely because there is a turn round the hill, 

 and the aspect varies a very few degrees. A change of soil 

 produces a similar effect. The famous Rhine wine, called 



