CULTURE OF THE VINE IN COGNAC. 819 



And then Mr. Vialla states that Rupcstris grows specially in America in very poor 

 ground, formed, however, of flinty gravel, and not intermixed with vegetal soil. It 

 is the same thing in France. 



It does not answer to plant Rupestris in calcareous soil. It dies there even sooner 

 than Riparia, and if it is superior to the latter in many parts of the South, it is only 

 because these lands are not too calcareous. In all cases when the proportion of cal- 

 caire is too great, Rupestris dies. Ir. the lands of Champagne and Groie it dies where 

 the Riparia is sometimes strong. The silicious is by far the best soil for it, and in such 

 a soil it is superior to all graft- bearers, which it surpasses as the lands are less and 

 less fertile. I have seen it very vigorous in tertiary deposits formed exclusively of 

 gravel of the size of buckshot and hazel-nuts, while Riparia, Vialla, and York-Madeira 

 were there very feeble. 



Riipesfris is then the best vine of all for poor, silicions soil, although it succeeds in 

 rich soil, also ; yet cheaper graft-bearers are as good. It grows admirably, also, in 

 certain calcareous, sterile lands, formed of calcareous fragments rolled very hard. 

 In these lands Riparia does not turn yellow, but Rupestris is far superior to it. For 

 the old alluvial earth of Charente, of which the subsoil is gravel mixed equally with 

 calcareous and silicious fragments, I believe Rupestris the best vine. Like Riparia 

 various species of Rupestris were recommended for calcareous soil. Certain ones are 

 in our experimental fields, and others in soils of diverse nature, all growing in about 

 the same way, and in very chalky land they all turn yellow. 



V. Cordifolia. This vine has been recommended by Mr. Vialla for several years for 

 calcareous soil. Until recently this vine had not been much cultivated on account 

 of the numerous suckers that grow from it, and it does not appear to play any impor- 

 tant part in the reconstruction of the vineyards. It is not adapted, either, to very 

 calcareous soil. Several trials of the vine have failed. In chalky land it is affected 

 with chlorosis, and soon dies, often during the first year. This, at least, is the result 

 of our experiments. The greater number of varieties cultivated were, it is true, issues 

 of the seeds planted in France and gathered, not upon Cordifolia in calcareous lands 

 of America, but on those growing in the rich alluvial earth of the rivers. It is possible 

 that the vines which grow spontaneously in rich silicious lands are not adapted to 

 calcareous, poor soil, and therefore our experiments may not be considered important. 

 But I have unfortunately cultivated Cordifolia that came direct from calcareous lands 

 in America, and they did no better than the others. In conclusion, I do not consider 

 Cordifolia of use in poor ground. 



V. Cinerea. The remarks made above of Cordifolia will apply word for word to 

 Cinerea. Like Cordifolia, it turns yellow and is stunted during the first year, both 

 the species coming directly from calcareous lands in America, as well as those obtained 

 in France. 



Nothing, then, can be expected from this vine. 



It has been recommended for moist and flinty lands; it grows in fact very well in 

 flinty beds in the Aude; but until now no plantation of this vine has been made to 

 any extent in France, and it is preferable to abstain from much use of it. 



J '. Monticola (Fcexeana Texana).A. species of vine but little known as yet in France. 

 Mr. Vialla noticed it in America in very calcareous land, and which bears much 

 analogy to land of Groie. It might therefore prosper in analogous soil in France. 

 We have several cultivated in chalky land; none have turned yellow; their strength 

 is sufficient, notwithsanding the vine passes for very feeble. This is all that is known 

 of this vine, and its future can not be judged. 



Candicans. The Mustang ( V. Candicans) is the vine that attains the greatest di- 

 mensions in America. It grows vigorously even in quite bad lands. 



It has been little cultivated in France, on account of the difficulty of propagating 

 it by cuttings or slips, and this is the reason why we have not been able to cultivate 

 it in our experimental fields. Some of these slips are always found mixed acciden- 

 tally with roots sent to us from the South. They turned yellow like those of Cinerea 

 and Cordifolia. It follows that, if this observation is of any value, it will not do to 



