336 Vineyard Culture. 



WORKING OF THE VINEYARD BY THE PROPRIETOR. 

 The working of the vineyard by the proprietor, is, un- 

 questionably, the most rational proceeding, when he has 

 the information necessary for the proper direction of such 

 culture, and possesses the capital requisite for the ad- 

 vances it demands. He is at full liberty to adopt the 

 innovations he may think really beneficial, and he avoids 

 all the drawbacks attendant on the two modes of work- 

 ing described above. But his presence is now more 

 than ever necessary to superintend the execution of all 

 the labor j for, as he is the only person to derive a profit 

 from this culture, no one has a direct interest to help 

 him in its judicious management. Now, this is a task 

 which many proprietors will hesitate to undertake. It 

 entails upon them the necessity of living almost en- 

 tirely in the country, with their families, and of giving 

 up, in a great measure, those social relations to which 

 they have been accustomed. Nevertheless, the man- 

 agement of a vineyard is far less complicated than that 

 of any other kind of farming on a large scale. The 

 chief improvements of which the vineyard is susceptible 

 having been made under the owner's eye, and the order 

 and mode of executing the annual operations having 

 been properly settled, the owner's presence will be less 

 necessary. He may employ a steward, who can direct 

 the work, and who may receive the owner's instructions 

 relative to any especial operations. It is in this man- 

 ner that the greater number of the large vineyards of 

 Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, and Languedoc, are 

 administered. 



Work Done by the Piece or Day. As to the manner 

 of having the work in vineyards performed, it may be 



