THE VINEYARD AND ITS MANAGEMENT 77 



to be performed as the well-being of the grape require, take 

 time, and a year is none too short a period in which to do the 

 work. Moreover, newly drained and deeply plowed land 

 requires time for frost, air, sunshine and rain to sweeten and 

 enliven the soil after the mixture by these operations of live 

 topsoil with inert subsoil. 



Drainage. 



The ideal soil, as we are often told, resembles a sponge, and 

 is capable of retaining the greatest possible amount of plant- 

 food dissolved in water, and at the same time is permeable for 

 air. This ideal, sponge-like condition is particularly desirable 

 for the grape, especially native species, because the vines of 

 all are exceedingly deep-rooted. Moreover, grapes thrive 

 best in a warm soil. While, therefore, the roots may make 

 good use of nutritious solutions, if not too diluted, in an un- 

 drained soil, they suffocate and do not receive sufficient bottom 

 heat. It must be made emphatic that the grape will not 

 thrive in water-logged land. 



Unless the land is naturally well drained, under-drainage 

 must be provided as the first step in the preparation of land for 

 the vineyard. Tile-draining is usually best done by those who 

 make land-draining their business, but information as to every 

 requirement of land and detail of work may be secured from 

 many texts, so that grape-growers may perform the work for 

 themselves. In concluding the topic, the reader must be 

 reminded that high and hill lands are not necessarily well 

 drained, and low lands are not necessarily wet even if the sur- 

 face is level. Often hilltops and hillsides need artificial drain- 

 ing ; much less often valley lands and level lands may not 

 need it. To assume, too, that gravelly and shaley soils are 

 always well drained often leads directly contrary to. the truth. 

 Sandy and gravelly soils need drainage nearly as often as 

 loamy and clayey ones. 



