THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. ■'s: 161 



a full portion of the solar rays, may be deemed the best. 

 The best aspects in the southern parts of England are 

 those that range from the eastern to the southeastern, the 

 last 'of which may be considered the very best. The 

 next best are those which follow in succession from south- 

 east to south. An aspect due south is undoubtedly a 

 very good one, but its exposure to those strong winds 

 which frequently blow from the southwest forms a great 

 drawback. The remaining aspects are those which range 

 successively frOm due south to due west. These are all 

 good ones provided they are sheltered, or partially so, 

 from the destructive effects of the high winds above men- 

 tioned. North of the western point, the maturation of 

 the wood and fruit of the vine becomes uncertain. East 

 by north is a very' good one. ISTorth of this point, the 

 solar rays are not sufficiently powerful to mature either 

 the wood or fruit." — Treatise on the Gra^e, ly Clement 

 Hoare. 1837. 



Chaptal says, " That the middle of a liill side pro- 

 duces the best wine, the upper part the second best, and 

 the bottom of the hill the most inferior ;" showing, appa- 

 rently, that the middle location contains the essential 

 nourishment required, that, in the upper part, there is a 

 lack of this, and at the foot of the hill there is either 

 too much of it, or too much moisture. 



Monsieur de la Quintiney says of the Muscat grapes, 

 that they " require a temperate country and the exposi- 

 tions of the south and east, and always a light ground ; 

 we seldom see any good in pure earth, and, if it be in 

 hot climates, in gravelly and sandy grounds." Page 

 329. 



