Ay, the Vineyard of Golden Plants-- Summoning the Vintagers by Beat of Drum-- Excitement in the Surrounding Villages-- The Pickers at Work-- Sorting the Grapes-- Grapes Gathered at Sunrise the Best-- Varieties of Vines in the Ay Vineyards-- Few of the Growers in the Champagne Crush their own Grapes-- Squeezing the Grapes in the “Pressoir” and Drawing off the Must-- Cheerful Glasses Round-- The Vintage at Mareuil-- Bringing in the Grapes on Mules and Donkeys-- The Vineyards of Avenay, Mutigny, and Cumières-- Damery and Adrienne Lecouvreur, Maréchal de Saxe, and the obese Anna Iwanowna-- The Vineyards of the Côte d’Epernay-- Boursault and its Château-- Pierry and its Vineyard Cellars-- The Clos St. Pierre-- Moussy and Vinay-- A Hermit’s Cave and a Miraculous Fountain-- Ablois St. Martin-- The Côte d’Avize-- The Grand Premier Crû of Cramant-- Avize and its Wines-- The Vineyards of Oger and Le Mesnil-- The Old Town of Vertus and its Vine-clad Slopes-- Their Red Wine formerly celebrated 20 III.--THE VINEYARDS OF THE MOUNTAIN. The Wine of Sillery-- Origin of its Renown-- The Maréchale d’Estrées a successful Marchande de Vin-- From Reims to Sillery-- Failure of the Jacquesson Vineyards-- Château of Sillery-- Wine Making at M. Fortel’s-- Sillery sec-- The Vintage and Vendangeoirs at Verzenay-- The Verzy Vineyards-- Edward III. at the Abbey of St. Basle-- From Reims to Bouzy-- The Herring Procession at St. Remi-- Rilly, Chigny, and Ludes-- The Knights Templars’ “Pot” of Wine-- Mailly and the View over the Plains of the Champagne-- Wine Making at Mailly-- The Village in the Wood-- Village and Château of Louvois-- Louis-le-Grand’s War Minister-- Bouzy, its Vineyards and Church Steeple, and the Lottery of the Great Gold Ingot-- MM. Werlé’s and Moët and Chandon’s Vendangeoirs-- Pressing the Grapes-- Still Red Bouzy-- Ambonnay-- A Peasant Proprietor-- The Vineyards of Ville-Dommange and Sacy, Hermonville, and St. Thierry-- The Still Red Wine of the latter 32 IV.--THE VINES OF THE CHAMPAGNE AND THE SYSTEM OF CULTIVATION. The Vines chiefly of the Pineau Variety-- The Plant doré of Ay, the Plant vert doré, the Plant gris, and the Epinette-- The Soil of the Vineyards-- Close Mode of Plantation-- The Operation of Provinage-- The Stems of the Vines never more than Three Years Old-- Fixing the Stakes to the Vines-- Manuring and General Cultivation-- Spring Frosts in the Champagne-- Various Modes of Protecting the Vines against them-- Dr. Guyot’s System-- The Parasites that Prey upon the Vines 42 V.--PREPARATION OF CHAMPAGNE.