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CULTIVATION of the VINE. 



187 



f 



pcd or front fliould be towards the fouth and fouth-eafl. 

 Though the ground be not a hill, yet if it be high, open 

 and airy, and gradually afcends towards the fouth or fouth- 

 eail, it will do very well. If it be a fruitful hill, it will 

 do better. But if it be a mountain, with a rich foil, it 

 will be beft of all j for the higher the vineyard, the richer 

 the wine. 



The foil moft natural to a vineyard, and fuch as pro- 

 duces the fweeteft grapes, and the richeft ftrongeft whie, 

 is a rich mould mixed with fand. The newer and freil:ier 

 the ground, the better; fuch a foil may be found on a 

 rifing ground and on fome hills, but very feldom on the 

 lides of mountains; for here the foil is generally ftifF and 

 clayey, fo ordered by Providence, as being lefs fubje£l to 

 be waflied away by hard rains; but this ftifF foil on the 

 fide of mountains difl'ers greatly frpm clay grounds below ;. 

 the winds and air, and the Sun's heat fo dry and warm it, 

 that it becomes a proper bed for vines, and renders them 

 both prolific and produdtive of the richeft wines. 



A rich warm foil mixed with gravel, or a fandy mould 

 intcrfperfod with large ftones, or with fmall loofe rocks, 

 are alfo very proper for a vineyard. Rocks and ftones, if 

 the foil be good, warm and dry, are no difadvantage to 

 vines. On the contrary, they refled; great heat to the 

 fruit, and thereby contribute towards perfeding the wine, 



cfpecially if they are on rifing ground, on the declivity of 

 a hill, or on the fide of a mountain. It is true they are at- 

 tended with fome inconveniences. It is more difficult to 

 keep fuch a vineyard clean, to ftake it well, to range the 

 vines in proper order, and regular form, to dung the 

 ground, and gather in the vintage. But then, thefe rocks 

 and ftones will make a good, dole, ftrong, and lafting 

 fence. On the fides of hills and mountains they are ab- 



r 

 I 



folutely nccefll:UTto make low rough walls along the lower 

 fide of the vines, to prefou-ve the good foil from waftiing 

 away. They forve alfo to keep the ground mbift in hot 

 dry times, when, but for them, th.e foil would be parched 



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