56 Vineyard Culture. 



tion of the kind of wine desired. When, therefore, a 

 vineyard is to be planted, the first thing to be ascertained 

 will be the situation, the exposure, and the nature of the 

 soil, and subsoil, of the land to be used ; after which we 

 must choose, in the neighborhood, those vines which, 

 under the same conditions, have given the best results. 



There are, however, a few general rules which may 

 serve as guides in that particular. 



1st. Consider whether quality of product is more 

 profitable than quantity ; for these two conditions can 

 scarcely ever be united. It does not depend upon the 

 cultivator to produce that bouquet that smoothness 

 which characterizes fine wines. Those qualities cer- 

 tainly depend partly on the climate, the nature of the 

 vine, the character of the soil, and its exposure ; but 

 they are especially the results of certain local influences, 

 which it has been impossible, so far, to determine in a 

 very positive manner. Therefore, when a vineyard is 

 to be planted in one of these favored localities, quan- 

 tity must undoubtedly be sacrificed to quality ; for, the 

 high price which the product will command, may com- 

 pensate for its smaller quantity ; but, these desirable 

 products excepted, it will be well to sacrifice quality to 

 quantity ; for, do what we may, the price will never be 

 sufficiently high to compensate for the diminished yield. 

 Nevertheless, it has been recently suggested, that the 

 fine varieties should be everywhere substituted for the 

 much more common, but, at the same time, much more 

 productive ones. This is unfortunate, for it is evident 

 that under no circumstances can one acre of Burgundy 

 cc Pinots," in their highest state of productiveness, yield 

 the same quantity which the " Gamais " will yield, if 



