Inclement Weather^ Diseases^ Etc. 255 



them, and the expense of sheltering the plants against 

 them would not, in the greater number of cases, be re- 

 paid by the results obtained. 



In those parts of southern Russia where vineyards 

 have been established — in the Crimea, and the neigh- 

 borhood of Odessa — the winters are sufficiently severe 

 to render this accident one of frequent occurrence. 

 The plants are there protected from these intense frosts 

 by being buried every winter in a trench. Of course, 

 such immense labor can not be undertaken over large 

 extents of surface, except in countries where the price 

 of manual labor is very low. 



In the vineyards of the Jura, which are often exposed 

 to this accident, the plants are often protected in this 

 manner : In November the young plants are laid down 

 and buried ; as for the old plants, whose stems are too 

 large to be subjected to this operation, a shoot is kept at 

 the base, which is each year pruned to one eye. It is 

 this shoot which is buried, a little above its junction 

 with the stock. If the cold is sufficiently severe to 

 freeze the old wood, the base is still safe, where it is 

 buried. It is then cut off above this point, and the 

 shoot at the base serves to renew the stock. All the 

 plants are laid bare at the end of February. 



Nevertheless, this is very hard work, and the roots 

 being often broken by the laying down process, the 

 plants suiFer in consequence. For this reason, sontfe 

 cultivators prefer the following plan : They think it is 

 enough to shelter the foot of the plant, on the south 

 side, by means of a stone, or handful of brushwood. 

 The snow is thus kept from melting in the sun. Now, 

 it is this partial thawing, which, occurring in February 



