THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE, 167 



is tlie circulation of the sap, because the channels through 

 ■which it passes have more capacity. This causes the 

 sap to circulate in a less state of elaboration, the result 

 of which must be, that the wine is flat, insipid, and des- 

 titute of all the principles of alcohol. Nevertheless^ the 

 abundant crop thus obtained, and the hrilliant vegetation, 

 are, after all, in some vieasure deceptive, fok they can 

 BE BUT TEANSiTOEY. In vinej'ards where manuring is 

 practised, they only manure once in ten years. It is not 

 to be doubted, that the effect is very remarkable the. first 

 three or four years after the manuring of the vines, hut, 

 in the succeeding years, the plants hegin to la7iguish ; no 

 longer finding that abundance of nourishment to which 

 they have been accustomed, they suffer in consequence, 

 and often fall victims to the want of it. Thus a part of 

 the plants are lost, either by too much or too little nour- 

 ishment. But vines can receive, and it is often advan- 

 tageous to give them, such manure as will make good 

 the poverty of the soil, its exhaustion, or what is required 

 otherwise for this sort of cultivation. No manure suits 

 vines better than what is properly called vegetable earth, 

 obtained by the decomposition of plants. Mosses, leaves, 

 and turf, mixed together, thrown up in great heaps, and 

 left for about two years to ferment, make the very best 

 manure of this sort." Page 333. 



These remarks follow the above, quoted by Dr. Lind- 

 ley, and may be considered essential to the proper under- 

 standing of the matter : — 



" Nevertheless, as it is often impossible to procure, in 

 sufficient quantities, these (decomposed vegetables,) sub- 

 stances, intelligent cultivators have recourse to such as 



