THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 151 



ground has been broken up, it is a light-colored clayish-looking 

 soil, with a subsoil of marl, and abundance of small shells. 

 Both of these soils effervesced strongly with an acid, but the 

 light-colored evidently contains a far greater proportion of 

 lime. The soils of Beze, another first-rate vineyard of the 

 commune of Gevray, were exactly similar to that of the lower 

 part of Chambertin." — Ibid. 



Several other vineyards are described as having the same 

 soil. 



Ay, the centre of the district which produces the Cham- 

 paig-ne wine, is a small town on the river Marne. " The 

 range of hills above the town of Ay is exposed to the full 

 south, except where the exposure is varied by recesses in the 

 range ; it consequently produces wine of the finest quaUty, 

 and very superior to that of Epernay, which is produced on 

 hills exposed to the north. The soil is strongly calcareous, 

 full of small pieces of chalk and of stones. Near the top of 

 the hill, the soil is more argillaceous." — Ibid. 



" At Argenteuil, the vignerons pay the utmost attention to 

 their plantations ; indeed, their mode of cultivation, at least 

 as relates to productiveness, may be regarded as approaching 

 to the perfection of the art. 



" They apply manure very freely ; but this practice, though 

 it swells their ?'ecoIte, is thought to deteriorate the quality of 

 the grapes. Poudrette is much used, which is neither more 

 nor less than night-soil dried and reduced to powder. 



" Poudrette, we understand, was first recommended by the 

 celebrated Parmentier, about thirty years ago, (1790,) as a 

 top dressing for various field crops. 



" Frequently, it is formed into a compost with the weeds 

 and refuse of the garden, and some marly loam, or light 

 mould ; the poudrette being spread on the compost bed, in the 

 proportion of half an inch to six inches of weeds and earth. 

 Such compost is considered as well adapted for stimulating 

 the roots of fruit trees, especially cherries, figs, and vines. 



" The offensive smell is, to a considerable degree, removed 



