828 FRUIT CULTURE IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 



cultivated with a regard to quantity rather than quality of its produc- 

 tions ; meanwhile tihe soil is fertile, and admits of the finest vines being 

 cultivated here. 



The calcareous or marly subsoils are often compact and not suffi- 

 ciently porous, by reason of which a free flowage of water is checked, 

 and when near the surface of the soil they are extremely hurtful to the 

 vine, they may, notwithstanding, be of great use by digging the ground 

 and mixing it with the upper layers of earth. If these layers are sandy 

 or sandy gravelous, a very favorable result may be obtained ; but if 

 composed of greasy sand, the mixture will not be so good. The nature 

 of this soil is especially favorable to the white vine. 



The gravelous or stony subsoils are very favorable to the vine. They 

 present sometimes small siliceous stones or pebbles, white, gray, bluish, 

 and transparent; these stones are termed " graves ;" sometimes little 

 blocks or stones of a dull opaque ; sometimes also little pieces of stone 

 or rock in the crevices of which the roots of the vine generally pene- 

 trate, thereby forming the base of a great hardiness and vigor for the 

 plant, and of an agreeable, well-developed taste and flavor for the wines. 



The sandy subsoils are suitable to the vine, because they permit its 

 roots to penetrate to a great depth, to find the stability of temperature 

 which is favorable to them. The most part of these soils produce a fine 

 delicate wine, but lacking sometimes in body and color. 



The aliotic subsoils, sometimes ferruginous, are impervious as those 

 of the argil and marl; they form a bed which arrests water, thereby 

 rendering the earth too dry, especially if sloping; the water, following, 

 the bent of the incline, settles in the lower parts. When flat it is too 

 damp, a defect, however, which can be easily remedied by digging up 

 the earth to a certain depth. Under these circumstances, they are very 

 much in request. The best vineyards in the Medoc are established on 

 grounds of this nature. 



Planting. Before planting the vine the nature of the soil should be 

 attentively studied, and the preparatory labor performed according to 

 its species. It is most urgent that the vine should be sheltered from 

 prolonged dampness; to this effect the earth must be disposed in such 

 a manner as to regulate the slopes and facilitate drainage. If in a very 

 hard, argillous land, called terre tape, or boulbaine, or tuf, the roarl or 

 alios should be found of shallow depth, the subsoils must be broken 

 up to render them pervious and to mix them with the superficial layers 

 of earth. 



The earth, purified by the means above indicated, and by drainage 

 whenever it is essential, demands a most important operation improve- 

 ment and manure. 



To manure the earth about the vine is always a most essential pre- 

 paratory feature, at least when not operating upon alluvial soil, but 

 when this is the case a liquid manure is sometimes employed and poured 

 into the hole assigned to each plant. When planting superficial earth, 



