CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 207 



prevent, however, the exhaustion of the potash, it is as 

 well to spread every year, at the foot of the stools, a cer- 

 tain quantity of the marc ( ' cheese,' or refuse of the wine- 

 press) of grapes. This marc, containing 2.5 per cent of 

 carbonate of potash, will restore annually a large propor- 

 tion of the potash which may have disappeared from the 

 trench. 



" Hitherto, the success of a vintage depended, cceteris 

 paribus, in a great measure upon the influence of the 

 atmosphere. Thus, suppose a vine-stock required ten 

 parts of potash to be enabled to bear fruit : if the action 

 of the heat and rain on the stones and earth, in a state 

 of decomposition, could only furnish five, the vintage 

 would be bad. 



" This danger will be avoided by the above system of 

 culture, in which the vine must always have suitable 

 food. But it is not to be forgotten, that, although I prom- 

 ise those grape-growers who follow my plan an abundance 

 of produce, I can by no means insure the quality of that 

 produce ; for quality must always depend on the tempera- 

 ture." 



It is unnecessary to specify all the different kinds of 

 fertilizing matters that might be used to advantage in the 

 vineyard. We are safe in concluding that soap-suds, con- 



