THE BURGUNDY WINE DISTKICT. 41 



weather tlicy have had this year. The Catawba, Isabella, and 

 Scrapanay arc among the varieties. The vineyard, placed on a 

 small gravelly knoll, is doing much better than the above-named 

 trellis-work. This may be on account of the vines not being so 

 old, as some are only two and six years old. On being told their 

 age, I was much surprised to see how small and feeble they were 

 in wood, and backward in bearing. I was told that they were 

 also manured. This is the first time many of them bear, as even 

 the acclimated vines do not produce fruit until they arc five years 

 old, and very little then. After thanking the director, we agreed 

 to enter into correspondence, and exchange all varieties of vines, 

 seeds, etc., which the one does and the other does not possess. 

 This institution is supported by the city of Dijon. It does not 

 sell any of its roots, but exchanges with societies and individuals. 



Upon leaving the garden we started for Gevrey, a small vil- 

 lage half an hour's travel by railroad from Dijon, and which is 

 surrounded by the most celebrated vineyards in this district. As 

 the cars do not pass Gevrey, we stopped at Chambertin, took an 

 omnibus, and proceeded to Gevrey; having letters from M. Ladrey 

 to the overseer of a gentleman's vineyard. His absence from 

 home enabled us to take our breakfast before starting out. Dur- 

 ing the preparation of our meal, we endeavored to ascertain from 

 the talkative landlady whether a vehicle could be obtained. She 

 did not know ; but her husband, upon our assuring him we were 

 not aristocratic, comforted us with the remote hope of procuring 

 us a coach to drive to some of the neighboring vineyards. "We 

 were not able to get the promised conveyance till twelve o'clock. 

 Therefore we took a stroll through the village, which, like all 

 French towns, is irregular in its construction, and composed of 

 stone houses two stories high. The whole village has an air of 

 comfort and prosperity about it, which proves that even here the 

 cultivation of the vine is quite remunerative. At last our man 

 arrived. I put a series of questions to him, and gained the fol- 

 lowing information. 



Gevrey is inhabited chiefly by peasants, either possessing vine- 

 yards in fee-simple, or renting for a period of time vineyards al- 

 ready planted, or warrant-lands which they have planted them- 

 selves. The rent of five acres of vacant land for planting a vine- 

 yard is 250 to 800 francs, payable annually, the term of the: lease 

 being from 20 to 30 years. No allowance is made for..the time 

 the vines are not bearing. Planted vineyards pay a rent of from 



