82 



B will only contain 435; if the individual vines bear the same crop 

 in each block, A will give 400 gallons to B's 100 gallons ; therefore^ 

 for each block to pay equally well, the cost of cultivation must be 

 2 for B if it be 8 for A. 



If the individual vines of B bear twice as much as those of A, the 

 yield would be as follows : A 400 gallons and B 200 gallons ; in such 

 a case B would be the most remunerative block, although a third 

 one planted at, say, 7ft. x 7ft. would probably give the best 

 results. 



There is for each locality, with the same conditions of soil and 

 climate, a certain distance, which we may call the optimum, at which 

 vines will give the best results ; if this distance be increased they 

 will not improve, and if it be diminished they will deteriorate. 

 Unless this be a distance which cannot conveniently be worked by 

 horse labour it would evidently be a waste of land to plant wider, 

 and would entail the cultivation of unnecessary soil. It would be 

 just as foolish to plant closer than this distance, as it would necessitate 

 unnecessary pruning, disbudding, tying-up, &c.; that is, if the climate 

 be such that grapes will ripen satisfactorily in it. 



In the first or cool region, the optimum distance is 4ft. x 4ift. or 

 5ft. x 5ft., but vines may be planted as far apart as 6ft. x 6ft., on 

 account of the greater facilities afforded for cultivation. In other 

 words, the number of vines per acre should be from 1,200 to 2,000. 



In the second region it will be found more advantageous to plant 

 vines farther apart, say 7ft. x 7ft., 8ft. x 8ft., or 8ft. x 5ft., or from 

 680 to 1,100 vines per acre. 



In the third or warm region they should be planted still farther 

 apart, 10ft. x 10ft., or about 400 vines per acre, being a very suitable 

 distance. These distances may be varied to some extent by circum- 

 stances. Vigorous varieties should be planted farther apart than 

 weak ones. Vines in rich soils, growing more vigorously than in 

 poorer ones, must also be planted farther apart. 



Arrangement of the Vines. 



There are three methods of arranging vines. These are the square, 

 the quincunx or equilateral triangle, and the rectangular rows. 



The square system is so simple as to require no description. The 

 following table gives the number of : vines per acre for different 

 distances apart : 



