near Hendon^ Middlesex. 415 



This, I felt convinced, could not be attributed to deterioration 

 of climate, which has been gradually ameliorated as cultivation 

 has been extended. 



Knowing that vineyards had been cultivated to a considerable 

 extent in this country, during a period of more than a thousand 

 years, I determined to attempt their reintroduction. 



The sorts cultivated for wine being, in many instances, differ- 

 ent in taste, growth, quality, and hardihood, and requiring differ- 

 ent soil and training, from those usually in request for the table ; 

 and the success of each particular wine variety being, in most 

 instances, confined to its peculiar climate and district ; my first 

 object, and that upon which mainly depended my future success, 

 was to find out, if possible, and procure those sorts, or the va- 

 rieties most closely approximating to them, which had been 

 heretofore successfully cultivated by our ancestors. 



To detail the reasoning which led me to the belief that I had 

 discovered the original varieties would fill too great a space in 

 this brief notice, but will be found in my intended History of 

 English Vineyards. 



In pursuance of the above-mentioned plan, in the autumn of 

 the year 1 830, I took an excursion up the Rhine, and remained 

 some time at Mentz, the very centre of the wine country of Ger- 

 many, collecting information upon the subject. 



Having informed myself as to the kinds of grapes, their pro- 

 duce per acre, time of ripening, and mode of culture ; and of the 

 quantity and quality of the wine produced, I took lessons of a 

 celebrated vine-dresser in the necessary practical details, and also 

 personally worked at the vine-press ; after which I felt myself 

 more competent for the task I had undertaken. 



Previously to my return, I procured a collection of the Rhenish 

 vineyard vines, more particularly of the early and hardy va- 

 rieties, and succeeded in bringing them into this country in good 

 condition. 



The plot of ground forming the site of the intended vineyard 

 was trenched 2 ft. deep, drained, and well manured ; and then 

 marked out in lines of 4 ft. apart each way ; while at the crossing 

 of the lines stakes were placed against which to train the vines. In 

 Jig. 70., h h show the points of intersection at which stakes were 

 placed ; not in quincunx, but opposite to each other every v^'ay. 



Trenches were then dug running; from south to north 

 {Jig. 70. a), 8 in. wide, and 18 in. deep ; at the bottom of which 

 stable dung was put, well trodden down, 6 in. thick ; then 6 in. 

 more of the trench were filled by the mould previously taken out, 

 and the plants were laid at their whole length in the trench 

 {Jig. 71.), the root being placed to the south. The trench, upon 

 being filled in, left about 1 ft. of the new wood only above ground, 

 which was tied to the stake. 



