23 



satisfy itself with a much shallower soil, in which it is also better 

 able to mature its fruit, an operation which is not always satisfactorily 

 performed in northern France, where it is not uncommon to see vine- 

 yards growing where there is only a thin layer of soil covering an 

 impenetrable rocky subsoil. Such vineyards are in many cases 

 celebrated for the excellence of f their product (but, again we say it, 

 only in a cold district). 



The colour of a soil is of more importance than might be imagined. 

 Every one knows the difference between the temperature of a house, 

 the outside of which is painted black or painted white. With the 

 soil the influence is more marked, as it acts both upon the roots and 

 the part above- ground. A dark-coloured soil absorbs heat, and its 

 own temperature rises, but it reflects very little on to the upper part 

 of the vine, whilst a white or light-coloured soil has the reverse effect; 

 it reflects the rays on to the fruit and leaves, whilst its own tempera- 

 ture increases but slightly. It follows that a dark soil is an advan- 

 tage in a cold climate where the moisture of the soil is excessive, 

 while in a warm climate a light- coloured soil is preferable, as it 

 insures to a greater extent the retention of moisture. The disease 

 known as Chlorosis, which is characterized by the leaves of the vine 

 turning yellow and the whole plant losing its vigour, and which often 

 results from too much moisture in the soil, is less prevalent in dark 

 than in light coloured soils, in which many vines, more especially 

 among those of American origin, suffer very considerably from it. 



Soils containing pebbles or gravel are always, and in all countries, 

 highly esteemed for viticultural purposes. This is borne out by the 

 fact that almost all the most celebrated vineyards are planted in soils 

 containing a more or less considerable proportion of pebbles of various 

 kinds. In the best Burgundy vineyards they are calcareous, at 

 Bordeaux quartz, on the Rhine granitic, and in Champagne chalky. 

 In some of the most celebrated vineyards the soil is so stony that it 

 would be unfit for any other culture than that of the vine. At 

 Chateau Lafitte the proportion of water- worn quartz pebbles in the 

 soil is 71 per cent. 



The chemical properties of the soil are of great importance, and in 

 order that they should be understood, it will be necessary to revert 

 to what we saw with reference to the composition of the vine. The 

 following table gives a fair idea of the importance of the different 



