230 Vineyard Culture. 



juices flow only in very small quantities into the tissues 

 of the fruit. Now, the excessive vigor of trees has 

 the effect of prolonging the vegetation, and, conse- 

 quently, of retarding the ripening. It is owing to this 

 influence, that, other things being equal, the fruits of 

 trees having little vigor, always ripen sooner than on 

 those of stronger vegetation. It is partly to diminish 

 the vigor of the vines, and to check their development, 

 that the growers of Thomery proceed with the thin- 

 ning of the leaves a process that ought to be more fre- 

 quently adopted in vineyards of the North. 



These injurious effects on the quality of the fruit, 

 arising from the too great vigor of trees, are greater, in 

 proportion as we recede from the South that is to say, 

 as light and heat are less intense. 



All the preceding facts thus show that the vigor of 

 the plants, to whatever cause it may be due, is hurtful 

 to the quality of the product. Now, as manures have 

 no other effect than that of increasing this vigor, it 

 would seem reasonable to admit that the vineyard should 

 be sustained by the natural richness of the soil, and that 

 we should abstain from the application of all manures. 

 We must, however, except the case in which, for want 

 of sufficient nutriment, the soil may have become so 

 poor, and the plant so languid, as to affect the quality 

 of the product. 



This would certainly be a rational conclusion, if, in 

 this culture, quality, only, was looked for ; but quantity 

 is also an object. Now, as we have seen above, the 

 average yield of vines left to the natural richness of the 

 soil is about one hundred and thirty-seven gallons per 

 acre. If we are satisfied with this product in vineyards 



