98 



ON THE MANAGEMENT 



be large and fair, with well- swelled and high- 

 flavoured berries. 



After the fruit is cut, the Vines will require no 

 other management till the pruning season, but 

 taking off their laterals, in the manner already- 

 pointed out for the preceding year. 1 



First, I presume that water is not admitted either into the 

 orchards or vineyards during the winter, as a wet soil would 

 prove highly injurious to those kinds of fruit-trees at that 

 season. It is, on this account, I have directed drains for the 

 purpose of taking off the superfluous water at the bottom of 

 the Vine-border. 



And, secondly, as too much water at the time of the ripening 

 the fruit would debase its flavour, I conclude that if Sir William 

 Hamilton and Mr. Foster had made enquiry, they would have 

 been informed by the respective inhabitants, that the waterings 

 are less frequent at the time of gathering the fruit, and the 

 season of the vintage, than at an earlier period. 



Since the foregoing notes were written, I have met with the 

 following curious account, which shows the necessity and great 

 importance of a plentiful supply of water in vineyards, &c. in 

 warm climates. 



" Water is the great agent, the primum mobile of all pro- 

 ductions in this country ; every thing languishes, and soon is 

 parched up, without an ample supply of it ; abundance of rain 

 secures both a plentiful harvest and a copious vintage. 



u Whenever a spring breaks out, the King's people seize 

 upon it, and allot to each landlord a proper hour for letting the 

 water upon his grounds. It is of so much consequence, that 

 the value of a guinea has been paid for an hour extraordinary." 



Swinburne s Travels through Spain, page 113. 



1 As it frequently becomes necessary to convey ripe grapes 

 to a remote distance, and as this delicate fruit is very liable to 

 receive injury by improper methods of packings I hope the fol- 



