298 PAY OP THE VIGNERON. 



The proprietor has a right also to an indemnity, in order 

 to make amends for occasional losses by any extraordinary 

 calamities, such as hail, insects, &c. because these injuries form 

 no part of what is deemed a common crisis. To cover this 

 indemnity will not require much less than the tenth part of the 

 total medium product. 



.-* 



Pay of the Vigneron. 



There are some districts in France, where it is customary 

 to give the vigneron for compensation, the third, half, or two 

 thirds of the crop, to pay all the expenses and labour ; and 

 where consequently the owner receives a revenue more or less 

 according to the produce. But this course seems to be de- 

 precated by intelligent French writers, who say that the result 

 of this mode of arrangement is as injurious to the interest of 

 the proprietor, as to the vigneron and even to the vineyard 

 itself. For in such cases the vines are often badly cultivated ; 

 that is to say, the vignerons bestow on them the least possible 

 labour, pay no attention to repairing injuries and expend no 

 money, insomuch that but inferior crops can be realized from 

 them. Cases are even witnessed where the vignerons, con- 

 trary to the desire of the proprietors, destroy good vines 

 which yielded moderate crops, in order to substitute what are 

 called grosses races, or great bearers, which yield a more 

 abundant produce, but make bad wine, thus evincing no con- 

 cern whether the reputation of the vineyard is injured or not. 



In other instances the vignerons when in debt, diminish the 

 value of the wine by agreeing to sell it at any price, and thereby 

 sacrifice the interest of the proprietor. It is consequently far 

 preferable, as has been recommended in another place, that a 

 vineyard should be under the immediate direction of the pro- 

 prietor ; or if it is not, that he should pay a vigneron a regu- 

 lar compensation, and himself make the advances necessary 

 for its management. Doubtless, however, in most cases, in 

 the formation and management of vineyards in our own coun- 

 try, the proprietor and the vigneron will be united in the same 

 person, which will ensure a proper attention to the various 



