796 FRUIT CULTURE IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 



lated by the nature of the ground. In dry and high land winter is 

 the most favorable season ; in low and moist ground the middle of 

 spring is preferable. The depth generally adapted is that of 2J feet 

 in dry and light soil, 20 inches in medium land, and 13 inches in rich, 

 damp earth. In this country, where vines are grown in bushes and 

 without the support of poles, no other care is taken of the vineyard 

 for the first year beyond that of keeping it clear of weeds by tilling 

 and hoeing. After the first year the first pruning takes place. Only 

 one branch is left on the stem, generally that which is nearer to the 

 ground. It is well established that a short stem helps maturity to a 

 great extent, but as on the other hand the plant is made by it more 

 liable to rot and frost, the above rule is only followed on hillsides or 

 dry land : in valleys and low, damp land the branch which is left on 

 the plant is selected at a distance of 12 to 14 inches from the ground. 

 In all cases that branch is itself pruned short and left with two or 

 three eyes only. Every year after the first a new branch is left on the 

 stem, but the total number is rarely over four or five. The guiding 

 rule for pruning is that branches shooting from the stem are unpro- 

 ductive and should be cut close to the stem. The fruitful sprigs issaie 

 from one-year-old branches. Each eye of these sprigs generally pro- 

 duces two bunches of grape and one shoot. The quantity of eyes that 

 should be allowed to remain on the vine depends largely upon the 

 nature of the soil and the strength of the plant ; the number on a full- 

 grown vine varies from 12 to 24. There is no generally adopted time 

 for pruning, every vine grower using in this respect his own judgment. 

 It ordinarily takes place between the months of January and March, 

 and is followed immediately afterwards by a first plowing, which 

 after a few days is completed by a second hoeing ; the same operation 

 is repeated in April and May ; and, in the best-conducted vineyards, a 

 third time in June. The culture should always be applied with great 

 care, and never exceed the depth of from 10 to 12 inches, for fear of 

 hurting the roots. 



There are but very few districts in this region where an abundant 

 supply of water can be obtained, and the vineyards are in consequence 

 rarely irrigated. When practicable, water is brought into trenches 

 that run along the rows of vines, but never in excess, as it is well ascer- 

 tained that moisture, while improving the yield as to quantity, is detri- 

 mental in a large measure to quality, and makes the vine much more 

 sensitive to frosts and cold weather. 



Fertilizers. In new soils the vine can easily dispense with fertilizers 

 of any kind for thirty years or more ; it is even claimed by some good 

 cultivators that an addition of virgin earth or calcareous marl prove to 

 be the best fertilizers. Still the custom is prevalent to use stable dung 

 at the rate of 12 tons per acre, applied once in from four to six years. A 

 ton per acre of horns, woolen rags, or oil-cakes, which are abundantly 

 imported or produced at Marseilles, is frequently used as a substitute. 



