Preparatory Operations. 23 



vineyards and fruit gardens exposed to the depredations of 

 wandering thieves, until they become personally interested in 

 such treasures of their own ; no common fences will bar their 

 entrance, however, when they are disposed to trespass upon 

 us : the watch-tower, as of old, must accompany the vine- 

 yard in the present state of society. 



We may rejoice, too, that there is in this country no such 

 thing as an " ordinance ban" to direct us when to commence 

 our vintage, and to oblige us to gather our grapes at a certain 

 date, whether they be early or late ; the culture of the vine 

 is here free as its tendrilled shoots, and every one may exer- 

 cise his own judgment in selecting the period for the various 

 operations he has to perform among his plants.] 



ROADS. It is very important that teams should be 

 able to pass through all parts of a vineyard, especially 

 when it is one of considerable extent. For this pur- 

 pose it would be well, in planting the vines, to have 

 roads conveniently laid out wherever the grades of the 

 ground will allow it. This will render it easier to dis- 

 tribute by wagons, to all points of the vineyard, the 

 manure, the soil etc., which may be needed in it, and 

 it will cost much less than if done by means of pack- 

 horses and mules, or by hand, with baskets. The 

 gathering of the grapes will also cost much less. 



The principal roads of a large vineyard ought to be 

 not less than fifteen feet wide, so as to allow teams to 

 pass each other freely ; they ought to be not less than 

 fifty yards apart, and should run across, or at right an- 

 gles with the rows of the vines ; other roads, two yards 

 wide, should cross the first at right angles, two hundred 

 yards apart ; by this means the soil or manure required 

 in the vineyard may be carried in wagons close to the 



