54 



ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



posed hill are fit for vines ; in the former case the grapes are apt 

 to rot before they arrive at maturity, and in the latter the skin 

 hardens in consequence of* exposure to the air, and the berries 

 never arrive at their full perfection, — facts which may teach our 

 artificial cultivators to account for a good deal of the spot and 

 rust about which they complain so bitterly. It seems certain 

 that many of the best wines follow the course of rivers, and that 

 the quality becomes inferior in proportion as the vineyards become 

 more distant. It is said, too, that they are more subject to frost, 

 a circumstance which is contrary to the experience of our own 

 country ; for in the same parish, within two hundred yards, fruit- 

 trees are often materially impaired by frost on the low ground 

 near a stream, while with the difference of some twenty feet or more 

 of elevation they are safe. Our author is content with stating 

 the fact very decidedly, confirming the statement by various in- 

 stances, without, however, attempting any explanation. 



It seems almost self-evident that a southern aspect must in gene- 

 ral be most favourable to vines, and, indeed, is the only one in which 

 they can be expected to do well in our own country ; but there 

 are many examples of valuable vineyards which have a northern 

 exposure, which is indeed preferred for some vines. In such a 

 situation they are less injured by spring frosts ; and there is a 

 prejudice in favour of some beneficial influence of north winds, in 

 addition to their power of drying soil which is too moist, and dis- 

 pelling general humidity. 



Amongst the various methods of propagating the vine, none 

 seems more efficacious than grafting, a method which may be em- 

 ployed advantageously in our artificial cultivation, where the va- 

 rieties under cultivation are not suited to the situation or where the 

 produce is bad, provided the roots are in a proper soil and in a 

 healthy condition. It is extensively practised in Trance, and is 

 a very ready method in cultivation, on a large scale, of altering in 

 a very short time the character of a vineyard. Added to which 

 the produce from recent cuttings is always at first inferior, whereas 

 the full perfection of the variety is at once attained by grafting, 

 while the old stools seem frequently to acquire fresh vigour from 

 the young blood. 



Omitting the whole of the chapter which treats of the different 

 modes of cultivation employed in different countries, I pass to 

 that of manures, which is of more immediate interest. It is well 

 known that for the more delicate wines coarse manures are 

 avoided as much as possible, though they are useful enough where 



