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VINEYARDS ON HILLS AND DECLIVITIES. 261 



any danger of their being swept away themselves by streams 

 of water during severe storms, as the numerous roots form a 

 support for them against such effects. 



The arrangement of the vines differs also on great declivities 

 from that on other locations, not being ranged in straight lines, 

 but planted in curves or in the form of an amphitheatre. And 

 in order to equalize the maturity of the crops where several va- 

 rieties are to be planted in the same vineyard, the earlier kinds 

 should be planted in the most elevated parts, and the later 

 ones in the middle ranges. 



The Domestic Encyclopedia contains the following directions 

 in regard to vineyards planted on declivities : " To prevent 

 your hills where they are steep, from being washed away by 

 showers of rain, I would recommend short straw mixed with 

 chaff, the shives of flax and hemp, the chaff of flax seed which 

 is also an excellent manure, old half rotten salt hay or bog 

 hay, free from grass seeds, which should be spread thin be- 

 tween the rows ; if it be spread thick it keeps the ground too 

 long cold and wet in spring, which retards the growth of the 

 vines. The use of these I have experienced to be profitable, 

 and very much to hinder the soil from washing. The follow- 

 ing method has also been found very effectual, without doing 

 injury to either the vines or the crop : After the ground has 

 been made loose and mellow, lay broad flat stones close along 

 the lower side of the vines, these not being very heavy do not 

 pack the ground too close, nor press hard upon roots of the 

 vines ; they reflect great heat up to the vine and fruit, which 

 helps to bring it to full maturity, they preserve the soil against 

 washing away, they keep the ground moist in the driest times, 

 and hinder too much rain from penetrating the roots near the 

 head of the vine, which chiefly occasions the bursting of the 

 grapes after a shower of rain, when they are near ripe." 



The effect of elevation upon the geography of plants merits 

 our particular consideration by its influence on the vine. In 

 Europe they generally reckon that a degree of latitude af- 

 fects the mean temperature nearly in the proportion of one 

 hundred and eighty or two hundred yards of elevation, or vice 



