show us, still preserved traces of the old convent. It was quaint, and yet rather grand too, inspiring a respect for its inmates. It would be as hard to reproduce as an avenue of old oaks. "All the modern conveniences" are convenient enough, I know, but they certainly don't impress the casual visitor with such a desire to stay and be at home as does the peculiar, stately, unpurchasable aspect of a house like that of St. Thierry.

The dwellers in such a home are to be envied, especially by a Western American vine-dresser, residing as they do in the midst of their possessions and effects-their wealth of vines about them and of wine beneath them-with enough to do and plenty to do it with-enjoying a farmer's freedom without his rusticity, and an aristocrat's luxury and comfort without his ennui. In America, to be a gentleman farmer requires a fortune at interest. Maybe the time will come when vine-dressing shall be so well understood and reliable for income-which it is not yet by a good deal-as that the owner of a hundred acres in grapes can sit under his own vines and trees in lordly independence and republican ease. As yet, however, chateau life is with us quite too near an impossibility, except in a suburban and imitation way. For the present, our fate is to be either rough-andtumble farmers, or cits.

The next drive took us among high vines, which appeared, as to culture and training, much like those I saw in Burgundy. Both white and red grapes are grown, but, with slight exception, all are converted into white wine, and that is bottled for Sparkling. The white grape wine has more of the true Champagne quality, delicacy, lightness, and sparkle than what is obtained from red grapes, and is usually mixed with the latter in the proportion of one eighth, or one fourth.

The chalk or chalky rock of the vineyards is covered with but a thin layer of soil, which consists of about four parts of carbonate of lime and one part of silica and clay, which proportions are sometimes varied by the presence of oxide of iron.

At first planting the roots are not set very close, the distances being from three feet three inches between the lines by two feet ten inches within the lines, to three feet by one foot eight inches. Before planting, the soil is broken up to the depth of twenty inches or a little more. Two and three year old plants are preferred. Composted manure is flung in about the roots on setting out. The first year they are four times weeded; the second, they are cut back to one or two eyes, are hoed in March, and afterward weeded three times.

In April or May of the following year, a sufficient number of the most vigorous shoots are laid down to fill one third of the unoccupied space between the vines as they stand in their rows. The next year another third of the space is in the same way filled, and another year's layering completes the plantation with an utter rout (déroute) of the original ranks. At each of these layerings compost is freely used.

Pruning is done in February or March. From the middle of May to the middle of June they again stir the ground to the depth of about three inches. After blossoming, which usually comes about the 24th of June, the shoots are tied up, and buds not wanted are rubbed off. After this comes pinching in and another hoeing. Often there is a last pinching in as late as September, followed by a superficial hoeing, so managed as to remove from beneath any bunches touching the ground enough soil to let the fruit hang free.

Vintage often begins as early as the 15th of September, but the first week of October is oftener the time. The bunches are carefully examined by the "cutters," and all bad berries removed.

These details, which to some may seem inapplicable in our country, are given for the benefit of the colder portions of it, where grapes of desirable vari

eties do not ripen well, as at present cultivated. In the Marne, which lies on the northern verge of the European vine zone, fine and valuable wines could be produced in no other way. To the peculiar method just described the world owes the joy of that wondrous and sensational drink called Champagne.

If it is objected that American vines are of too rank growth to bear such dwarfing, let it be considered that the treatment is only for such as grow on meagre soils; that with more vigorous growers somewhat wider planting might do, until, by dint of continued dwarfing, they become smaller. I confess I would like to see the Delaware-choice little queen of pigmies-close set as above on the right soil and

exposure.

The cost of cultivation need not be so great as many would suppose.

In some parts of the Marne a black earth containing sulphur is hauled upon the vineyards to improve the soil, but I did not happen to see it. They think it prevents oïdium. If there be sulphur enough, it is a good preventive; still, I would rather believe in layering, which, beyond doubt, is, when often enough repeated, a remedy of itself.

This reminds me that the remarkable success of grape-growing along the borders of Lake Erie is now

attributed by some to the presence in the soil of the bituminous shale of the Hamilton group, such as is found in the Pennsylvania oil regions. This shale is said to contain, besides iron and sulphur, a large quantity of potash. It is recommended by some to be hauled upon sandy lands, as a manure to vines. planted there, and which are found to be much less favorable to the grape than clayey lands, which, in the region in question, abound in the shale.

The same Hamilton shale crops out in vast beds on both sides of the Ohio River, from a little way below Portsmouth down to about the mouth of Brush Creek, in Adams County. I shall this year try the experiment of spreading a layer of it over a portion of my vineyard.

In many of the vineyards about Rheims sulphur is in regular use. If layering be a perfect preventive on all soils, then the vines which need sulphur must be high vines, laid down only every seven or eight years. I am sorry to say I did not think to ascertain this point.

In the garden of the house where Mr. F. lived I was shown a large vine trained to cover a high wall. One half of it was in good condition, laden with fruit, and covered with dark green, healthy leaves. The other half, on the contrary, had but lit