THE FORMATION OF VINE BORDERS. 



445 



be immediately taken up by the young root- 

 lets. The cultivator would then know ex- 

 actly where to place his stimulants ; and any 

 application of liquid manure would be im- 

 mediately felt by the vines. A border of 

 this kind could be kept in the highest pos- 

 sible order; as the vines could be supplied 

 with any quantity of food, in a pure state, 

 for the immediate consumption of the vines. 

 It may be said, that there is not a sufficient 

 quantity of soil for the vines to grow in. 

 Such, however, is not the case ; as the vines 

 that were planted by Mr. John Sherwood, 

 when he occupied the Laurel Hill horticul- 

 tural establishment, near Philadelphia, still 

 produce abundant and beautiful crops, se- 

 cond to none that are grown in the vicinity 

 of that city. These vines have been plant- 

 ed about ten years, inside the house, in a 

 border raised above the surface, — being 

 boxed up to within a foot or eighteen inches 

 of the glass. The depth of the soil about 

 three feet, and the width of the border three 

 feet and a half; no dead carcasses or other 

 offensive matter was used in its construc- 

 tion. 



Vines that are planted at Mrs. Camac's 

 residence, near Philadelphia, which had 

 expensive diffused borders made, and by a 

 good practical gardener, had large quanti- 

 ties of horses and other carcasses, slaugh- 

 terhouse manure, &c, incorporated with 

 the soil, certainly does not prove that putrid 

 carrion is the most suitable manure to in- 

 corporate with vine borders, although they 

 are under the able superintendence of Mr. 

 Alexander Caie. The same may be said 

 of the vineries at Andalusia, the seat of the 

 late Nicholas Biddle, Esq., where vines 

 are cultivated under glass, to a greater ex- 

 tent than any other place in the Union. It 

 will be found that as good grapes can be 

 produced without the use of dead carcasses 

 as with them. The wood will be shorter 



jointed, better ripened, and, consequently, 

 more firm (without the use of dead bodies,) 

 as I have had ocular demonstration of the 

 above fact ; and it frequently fell under 

 my observation when I resided at Anda- 

 lusia. The use of animal manure is apt 

 to unduly excite the vines ; and it will al- 

 ways be productive of long jointed, badly 

 ripened wood, where there has been a su- 

 perabundance of animal manure used. Con- 

 sequently, this soft, spungy wood is not at 

 all calculated to produce a fine crop of 

 fruit. In my opinion, if animal manure is 

 used at all, it ought to be thoroughly de- 

 composed before it is incorporated with the 

 border. 



The Excavation. — In forming borders, it 

 will be necessary to excavate the soil to 

 the widih of ten feet, the length of the 

 house, and to the depth of three feet and a 

 half. On all occasions the borders are to 

 be located outside the house, when cold 

 vineries are intended to be erected, and also 

 for houses that are not forced previous to 

 the beginning of March. The soil exca- 

 vated to the required depth, width, &c, 

 a four-inch wall should be built in the front 

 and ends, so as to confine the roots to their 

 legitimate space, which will be found am- 

 ply sufficient to furnish a rafter thirty feet 

 long with prolific vines. The bottom of 

 the border should be neatly paved, and 

 have a slight inclinarion to the front, where 

 a drain should run the entire length of the 

 border, to collect and discharge any super- 

 fluous moisture at the nearest convenient 

 place. In houses that are designed for 

 early forcing, and commencing in the first 

 week of November, I should recommend 

 that the border be raised, and run parallel 

 with the back wall ; the advantages of 

 which will be noticed hereafter. 



Drainage. — If the location of the vino 

 border be on a heavy retentive soil, and in 



