222 OPEN AIR GKAPE CULTURE. 



when, after four or five years, the fruit is applied to 

 the manufacture of wine, all rankness of growth will 

 have disappeared. If, in after years, the vine should 

 show symptoms of debility, it will be easy to supply 

 it with nourishment, by means of liquid manure ; and 

 if ample means are provided for keeping the roots 

 very dry during the ripening j^rocess, so that we can 

 regulate the period over which the effects of such 

 application shall extend, we are inclined to believe 

 that no evil results will follow. 



]\I. Ladrey suggests that but one portion of the 

 ^ ineyard be manured at one time, and that the»wine 

 from the part so treated be kept separate from the 

 rest, until the evil influence of the manure has disap- 

 peared. It is obvious, however, that if we could 

 avoid entirely any loss, of even a part of the vineyard, 

 it would be desirable. 



In this, however, as in all other matters, we must 

 keep steadily in view the fact, that all rank vegeta- 

 tion exerts an injurious influence, not only upon the 

 fruit product of the current year, but on the wood 

 upon which our next year's crop depends. 



In his "j^ouveau systeme de la culture de la vigne," 

 Persoz attempts to avoid the evils incident to the 

 ordinary mqde of the application of manure, by add- 

 ing to the soil those matters which tend to produce 

 wood, and those which favor the production of fruit, 



