THE BURGUNDY WINE DISTRICT. 51 



Those vineyards not fenced, and the largest portion, arc subject 

 to the following rules: Three commissioners on vineyards — one 

 proprietor, one merchant, and one vintner — are appointed by the 

 prefect, for the purpose of examining the vineyards from time to 

 time, and reporting to the sub-prefect. When in their judgment 

 the vineyards are fit for the vintage to begin, they report the fact. 

 At the receipt of this report, the sub-prefect issues his order, set- 

 ting the day recommended by the commissioners for the work to 

 begin. On this day every body is compelled to commence the 

 vintage ; but, as their work is performed in a few days, the cus- 

 tom is to order a certain day in one village ; in an adjacent one a 

 few days later, and so on, so that sufficient hands can be procured 

 to perform the necessary labor. If this were not done in districts 

 where several hundred thousands of acres are planted with vines, 

 it would be impossible to get the labor necessary, all at the re- 

 quired time. 



The laboring men, women, and children, at such appointed time, 

 come from far and near, and collect at the market-place ; here they 

 are hired by the vintners, according as they are needed. They 

 are paid more or less, accordiog as the number of laborers are 

 greater or fewer. The gathering is described elsewhere. 



The possessors of small vineyards usually sell their grapes to 

 wine-dealers, who come to the vineyards. They either jDurchase 

 by the measure, or take the whole produce of the vineyard in a 

 lump. The owner of the vineyard invariably has to gather and 

 deliver the grapes to the purchaser, and to pick and select them 

 according to the desire of the merchant. 



Those proprietors who have but small vineyards, and do not 

 sell their grapes, but make them into wine, produce, without ex- 

 ception, an inferior quality ; not on account of the locality or soil, 

 but for the reason that they do not or can not select their grapes, 

 but throw all together, good and bad — the amount of grapes be- 

 ing too small to make different qualities of wine ; the consequence 

 is, that their wine brings indifferent prices. 



It is believed, and we think with good reason, that the fewer 

 the grapes on the vine the more perfect they will be, and will re- 

 ceive from nature the full aroma natural to the species, and which 

 makes the wine so celebrated for its bouquet. 



Having examined the district of Burgundy in every direction, 

 collecting all useful information, and engaging several thousand 

 cuttings of its celebrated varieties, we prepared to return to Paris. 



