86 



The direction in which the lines are planted is not of very great 

 importance if the vines are planted on the square or quincunx sys- 

 tems. If planted on wires, it deserves consideration. 



It is often recommended to direct the rows north and south, one side 

 receiving the morning and the other the evening sun; the fruit is 

 more likely to ripen evenly. Other considerations, however, may be 

 be of greater importance than this. If spring frosts are of frequent 

 occurrence plant east and west, as the vines sheltering one another 

 from the first rays of the sun will be less liable to sustain injury. If 

 very strong winds or hail storms are to be feared their direction 

 should be noted, and the rows directed accordingly. 



In steep ground care must be taken not to let the rows follow the 

 line of greatest slope, especially if the vines are to be trained on 

 wires, as the rush of water down the furrows in winter would be liable 

 to carry off considerable quantities of soil. 



Provision should also be made for irrigation in localities where 

 this may prove beneficial. 



Extent and disposition of blocks. A vineyard should be laid out 

 in blocks separated by roads, which serve as a means of communi- 

 cation with the pickers at vintage time, for the removal of cuttings, 

 for the cartage of sulphur, manures, &c., as may be required, and to give 

 turning room to ploughs, scarifiers, and other implements. The num- 

 ber and extent of roads must be varied according to circumstances. 

 The distance apart greatly modifies their distribution. If the vines be 

 planted 10 feet apart, few of them will be required, there being room for 

 a dray to pass freely between the rows. In such a case all that is 

 necessary is a head-land at certain intervals on which implements 

 may be turned. 



Care must be taken to lay the vineyard out in such a way as to 

 enable the different cultural operations to be executed with as little 

 turning as possible ; every time a plough or scarifier is turned it entails 

 a much greater w^,ste of time than might be expected. The blocks 

 should, therefore, be laid out in such a way that the rows of one 

 correspond with those of the next one, so that the implements can 

 work for a clear distance of, say, half-a-mile or so, without stopping 

 at roads ; if this can be done in two directions, so much the better. 

 If it be proposed to train part of the vines on wires, let the rows in 

 this part be so directed as not to interfere with the above conditions. 



In more closely-planted vineyards, say anything less than 8ft. x 8ft., 

 the distribution of roads is of far greater importance, and some 



