at from four to six inches distance from each other: the slip being thus fixed at the depth of a foot or thereabout, a hand-basketfull of manure is thrown at the root of the slip; the hole is then filled up with natural earth in a loose manner, in order to admit of the two or three stalks sending out their shoots without being bruised. XIX. How many Operations are there to be performed between the Pruning and the Vintage Season? The prunings being over, as the same vines are not pruned every year, and even in those which have been pruned the earth has not been thoroughly stirred, the vines are trimmed at the beginning of May: this trimming is called labourage au bourgeon, and is followed by the tyeing up of the vine plants. XX. Which is the most favourable Moment for Tyeing and Paring the Vine? While the vine is in flower, it must not be touched it must be pared when the flower has nearly passed away, and at the height indicated in Art. XV.: it must afterwards be tied in such a way as to envelop the slip, without injuring the circulation of the air or the growth of the suckers. Finally; about the middle of August, in order to clear away the grass from the roots of the plant, and to raise up the grapes which may have fallen to the ground, a third and last trimming takes place. The following is the routine practised in the vineyards of Champagne 1. They are cut in February or March. 2. Hoed in March. 3. Pruned in April and May. 4. Tied or propped up in April and May. 6. Pare and tie in June. 8. Third trimming in August. XXI. How is it ascertained that the Grape is sufficiently ripe, in order to commence the Labours of the Vintage? At the end of September, or later if the season has been backward,—before proceeding to the labours of the vintage, in order to obtain the fruit at the most complete state of ripeness, The stalk of the grape must be brown and woody; The skin or pellicle of the grape tender, and not brittle when chewed ; the When a seed can be easily detached from the juice of grape : which should in its turn present a vinous and transparent appearance, without having any green in it; When the grape stones are brown, dry, and not glutinous. OF THE VINTAGE. XXII. What Precautions are necessary for managing the Grapes so as not to injure the White Wines? Many precautions, even of detail, are necessary in making white wine. These consist in carefully picking the ripest and soundest grapes from all withered or bruised grapes; they are then put into panniers, and covered with cloths to prevent the effects of the sun's rays, and to avoid fermentation. The panniers thus covered, being put upon the backs of horses, are conveyed to the press; into which they are not emptied, however, until after sun-set. From twenty to forty panniers full are put under the press at a time: the contents of two panniers produce half a piece of wine: forty panniers yield nine or ten pieces of white wine, and each piece contains two hundred bottles. (To be continued.) No. 2. XXI. Account of a Descent into the Crater of Mount Vesuvius by eight Frenchmen on the Night between the 18th and 19th of July 1801.* TO ascend to the summit of mount Vesuvius, which is elevated 3600 feet above the level of the sea, is an enterprise of great difficulty, as it is necessary for nearly half the height to climb an exceedingly steep declivity up to the knees in ashes. Some philosophical men of eminence, however, as Spallanzani, Dolomieu, Dr. Moore, &c. have overcome all these difficulties. Sir William Hamilton, who caused a great many views of Vesuvius to be designed during his long residence at Naples, ascended to the summit of it sixty-two times; but no one, at least since the eruption in 1799, ever ventured to descend into the crater of this volcano, not even Sir William Hamilton, who considered it under so many points of view, and who visited it so many times. It was reserved for eight Frenchmen to hazard this dangerous enterprise, and to succeed in it completely, notwithstanding the timidity of their guides, the impossibility which the Neapolitans attached to it, and the instances they mentioned of rash travellers who had lost their lives in the attempt, and been swallowed up by the volcano. To be able to appreciate the danger of this enterprise, it will be necessary to have a correct idea of the form and position of Vesuvius, and of the matters which it * Tilloch, vol. ii. p. 134. throws up. This volcano has the form of a truncated cone, and a part of its base, which is altogether three leagues in circumference, is washed by the Mediterranean; its mouth, or upper base, which is a little inclined to the axis, is 5722 feet in circumference. The earth from the base to half the height consists of vegetable mould mixed with lava and stones which have not been attacked by the fire, tufas, pumice, and calcareous stones, different in their nature and colour according to the different degrees of impression which have been made on them by the fire. The half of the height next the summit is composed chiefly of pure ashes, but coarser than our common ashes. Till the present time, there have been twenty-four eruptions recorded in history. The first took place in the year 79 after the christian era: by these eruptions volcanic matters have been successively accumulated, but by that of 1799 the situation of the crater and of the aperture was entirely changed. The focus or crater is now sunk 200 feet below the upper edges of the mouth of the vol cano. To arrive at the crater, and to observe the numerous spiracles, long crevices, and fires which issue from them in several places, and also the variegated and still smoking matters of which the crater is composed, it was necessary to pass over this space of 200 feet. The inner sides of the volcano are nearly perpendicular, or exceedingly steep, and composed of ashes, lava, and large calcareous stones; but these lava and stones, as they form no connection with the ashes, cannot serve as any point of support; and when any one is so imprudent as to adhere to this kind of rock, the least motion, the least displacement of any part, makes the whole crumble to pieces. Besides, from the summit of Vesuvius to the crater, the declivity, being exceedingly rapid, cannot be traversed but on all fours, and suffering your self to glide down amidst a torrent of ashes and lava. But the most dangerous obstacles are those awful excavations, which cannot be passed over without great trouble and difficulty. Disregarding the terror with which the Neapolitans endeavoured to inspire us, after having received their adieus, as if our separation had been likely to be eternal, we set out in a carriage, at half after eleven at night, on the 18th of July, from the hotel of the French ambassador, fourteen in number, furnished with ropes and other articles which we supposed might be necessary, and all in a state of the highest spirits, which never forsook us, even at times of the most imminent danger. We arrived about midnight at the foot of Vesuvius; and, having quitted our carriage, mounted well experienced mules, and proceeding one after the other, with adjutant Dampierre at our head, amidst the thick darkness of night, reached half way to the steep summit of the mountain. We had a numerous body of guides, and their lighted torches gave to our expedition a mysterious and solemn air, which formed a striking contrast with the mirth and gaiety of the company. When we had ascended about half way, we were obliged to alight, and to clamber up the steepest and most difficult part of Vesuvius, wading through the ashes up to the knees, till, exhausted with fatigue, and covered with sweat, we reached the summit at half past two in the morning. The first thing that struck us as soon as the morning began to dawn, was a most magnificent spectacle—a superb view of the city and port of Naples, the beautiful hills which surround them, and the vast extent of the sea by which they are washed. After walking round part of the aperture of the volcano, that we might choose the most commodious place for descending, adjutant Dam |