98 Vineyard Culture* 



ther on, an average space of at least twenty-six inches 

 between the plants, would be enough to permit the 

 working of the ground by the plow, thus making 10,000 

 plants to the acre. The change which we propose, as 

 to space, would, therefore, only affect the vineyards of 

 northern latitudes. Now, it is precisely in those lati- 

 tudes that the crowding of the plants has been so over- 

 done that the inconveniences arising therefrom begin to 

 cause a reaction in the opposite direction. In the Cote- 

 d' Or, and in Champagne, they have already tried plant- 

 ing further apart, and have obtained a yield as abundant, 

 and of as good quality, as that of more crowded vineyards. 

 Upon the whole, therefore, we advise that an average 

 space of at least twenty-six inches be left between the 

 plants. 



[We may compare ourselves to the South, rather than to 

 the North, in respect to the distance between our vines. Our 

 early plantations were made by Europeans from the northern 

 grape regions, who set their vines very close together, some 

 even three by three feet, on terraced vineyards worked by 

 hand. The spaces were soon increased to four feet each way, 

 and this was gradually widened to five and six, and even 

 greater intervals. The vigor of many of our vines, and their 

 enormous growth, as well as the comparative cheapness of 

 land, and the absolute necessity of using the plow instead of 

 the hoe ; all these circumstances combined, have rendered it 

 necessary for us to plant wider, and a very common distance 

 now is six by eight feet, the wider space being between the 

 rows. Some planters have even gone so far as to set their 

 vines eight feet apart each way. 



ARRANGEMENT OF Rows OF PLANTS. We have just 

 advised planting in rows, and that an average space of 



