SOIL. 



41 



and the leaves become so much larger, that vegetation does 

 not cease until after the heat has subsided, and the grapes are 

 too much sheltered from the rays of the sun ; whose heat, as 

 already remarked, is itself the true cause of the formation of 

 the saccharine matter* 



The vine having roots which are in part perpendicular, and 

 partly horizontal, it consequently accommodates itself equally 

 to a deep or a shallow soil. To other motives of preference 

 for soils of the latter description may be joined the considera- 

 tion, that the roots feel more easily the effect of the solar heat ; 

 that their vegetation is more speedy in the spring ; that they 

 elaborate the sap more perfectly during the summer ; and that 

 the grape attains sooner to maturity in autumn. And I cannot 

 too fully impress the fact, that as it is the intensity of heat 

 which with the selection of the variety, influences to the great- 

 est degree the quality of the wine, it is necessary to take ad- 

 vantage of every circumstance, in order to increase that in- 

 tensity ; and in every country the grape which ripens a month 

 sooner whilst enjoying the heat of a summer's sun, must be 

 sweeter than that which ripens after the heat has diminished. 



The fruit of the vineyards in the environs of Bonn, which 

 are planted upon basalt, ripens sooner and more perfectly than 

 those planted upon the neighbouring calcareous hills, and 

 furnishes consequently better wine ; therefore the former vine- 

 yards rent at a higher rate than the latter. In a memoir of 

 Rozier he remarks, that the good kinds of grapes do not afford 

 superior wines in Burgundy, at Cote Rotie, &c. except when 

 the summer and autumn have been hot, and the fruit has ac- 

 quired a perfect maturity. 



Influence of soil, dye. on flavour. 



There are a great many localities in France and other 

 countries, where the wines have a peculiar flavour, often not 

 agreeable, and which is termed taste of the soil, and the opi- 

 nion is generally entertained that it is the nature of the soil 

 which causes it. What has probably given rise to and sup- 



