Choice of Vines, 6 1 



vineyards of Lower Languedoc, they plant one-third in 

 " Aramons," which belong to the fourth period of ma- 

 turity ; one-third in " Grenache," which belongs to the 

 fifth period, and one-third in " Terret-bourret," which 

 only ripens at the sixth period. 



These are the chief causes which have determined 

 the selections of the various grapes comprising our vine- 

 yards. These selections, sanctioned by long experience, 

 are almost all founded upon common-sense principles, 

 and for this reason, very frequently it is sufficient to im- 

 itate what has already been done in the locality to be 

 planted. It is not that we absolutely condemn the intro- 

 duction of new plants : numerous examples prove the 

 advantage of sometimes introducing new varieties ; but 

 these sorts of naturalizations ought to be attempted with 

 great caution, as a failure might cause heavy loss. 



As a general rule, the transfer of varieties from one 

 country to another succeeds only where the climate, 

 soil, and cultivation, of the country of which the plant 

 is a native, perfectly resemble those of that into which 

 it is to be introduced. And yet this rule is not with- 

 out exception, for certain vineyards of the Northern 

 and Middle districts have been improved by the intro- 

 duction of vines originating in the South, and vice versa: 

 the Northern varieties have given"' very good results in 

 the South. Therefore, no positive rule can be laid down 

 in this respect ; nevertheless, it will be well, when a 

 new plant is to be introduced, to try it on a small scale, 

 so as to observe how far, and in what manner, it has 

 been affected by the new conditions to which it is ex- 

 posed. 



