i rs 



55 



SOIL AND ITS PREPARATION. 



,; As a general rule, we prefer a porous "soil, moist in 

 a degree, but not retentive of moisture — warm, friable 

 loom, which can be readily pulverized, and is not liable 

 to become hard baked bv the sun. A soil abounding 

 in disintegrated rocks, redish gravel, or brown per 

 oxyde of iron, appears to be especially adapted to grapes. 

 Nearly all of our American varieties will thrive upon 

 land on which a good crop of Indian corn can be raised; 

 and upon the mountains and stony hillside where grain 

 or grass would make but stinted growth. They will 

 feed and produce where other vegetation would starve. 

 This is believed to be true all over the world. In some 

 parts of Europe the vine is grown on ledges so steep 

 that the laborers can only with difficulty stand at their 

 work. With us, a subsoil, porous and permeable is 

 absolutely requisite, that the roots may penetrate, which 

 they will do to a great depth if no obstruction prevents, 

 A stiff retentive substratum can be ameliorated by 

 deep and thorough drainage with tiles, so that air can 

 be admitted and the surplus water pass off. It is well 

 under any condition to break the earth to the depth of 

 eighteen inches in any ground where the grape is 

 planted. It is not claimed that poor sterile land is to 

 be preferred, but a proportion of sand, gravel and 

 stones underlying deeply the surface soil, is generally 

 suitable for this product. Between soil and location, I 

 consider the former of the most importance. If a vine 

 has sufficient depth in any good earth, it will ordina- 

 rily thrive in any good locality. There is however 

 something to choose in situation as regards exposure, 

 and a southern or southeastern declivity is usually 

 recommended. A hilltop or gently undulating surface 



