18 THE VINE-DKESSEh's MANUAL. 



period of individual experience to find the best loca- 

 tions. "We stiould, however, always examine into tlie 

 more general admixtures of tlie soil whicli we propose 

 to select for our vineyard. There should always be 

 some sand, some clay, some limestone, and some gravel 

 in it. Is there too little sand or gravelly limestone, 

 then, the soil will soon become too clayey and cold, or 

 if there is too much gravel and sand, then vegetation 

 is impeded. Our soils almost invariably lack what 

 European vineyard men prize so highly — gypsum — 

 and this must be supplied by proper manures. The 

 best wines in Europe grow upon the hill-sides of lime 

 or gypsum mountain ridges, whose formation is some- 

 what mixed with sandstone. The color of the soil is 

 not always a sure indication of the quality of the soil, 

 but it may be assumed as a general rule, that soils for 

 vineyards should neither be a very light yellow, nor 

 a very brown red. To recapitulate, therefore : 



The altitude of a vineyard should neither be too 

 high nor too low, as compared with the surrounding 

 country. The exposure should be selected with due 

 reference to giving fall chance to the sun's rays during 

 the entire day ; and the soil should neither be too rich 

 nor too poor, — affording to the roots of the vine and to 

 atmospheric influences an easy chance to penetrate. 



