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313 VINK BORDERS. 



fibres strikes a rich be<l of wholesome food it will grow fast, and as it grows will send 

 out more fibres, and finally bcooino a largo, strong root, carrying nourishment to the 

 vine. If, on the contrary, it meets with uinvholcsome matter, it cannot grow and it 

 jnav be killed; but the d^'ath of a Inmdrcd of these exceedingly minute extremities 

 wouM not aftcct the vine, Avitli tli<uisaiids of tli<in on every root. It is not true, there- 

 fore, that a root has no j)o\ver of selection, fur these fibres are in factfirlcru which are 

 ready to seize upon anything valuable, or to stop short if they meet with injurious 

 matter. Now, if the carcass of an animal were jiut into a vine border, and a large; 

 root of a vine spread out dire<'tly upon it, there is no donbt the root would be destroyed 

 and, perhaps, the vine killed. The same efiect would be produced if the root was put 

 into a bed of clear guano. The manure in both cases would be too strong for it ; but 

 no proof can thence be drawn that cither of them is not a good manure for vines if 

 properly used. The case seems so simple that I have wondered that so much differ- 

 ence of opinion could have arisen. 



But as experience is the best teacher, I wish to give you an account of what I have 

 seen to-day, bearing upon the question. My vine border was prepared nine years ago, 

 and was composed of old sod, shoe-makers' chips, oyster shells, and all the bones and 

 carcasses I could get hold of. This was done in the fall, and the vines planted the 

 following spring. As all the fresh animal matter was buried at least eighteen inches 

 deep, and the vines were small when planted, I had no fear of its not being thoroughly 

 decomposed before they would find it. At all events I have had no reason to imagine, 

 from their appearance or produce up to this time, that they have been troubled with 

 indigestion or dyspepsia. The next year finding a horse which had to bo killed, I 

 had him brought to my vine border, where he was shot and fell into the grave which 

 was previously prepared for him. 'J'his was certainly complying with Hoare's direc- 

 tions — that the bones, for a vino border, should be put in " jis whole and fresh as 

 possible." The spot where he was hurried was on the extreme outer edge of the 

 border, twelve feet from the front of the house, and in order to put him deep enough 

 to avoid all danger from effluvia, I had to dig considerably deeper into the subsoil 

 than the border was originally made. In making this pit I found no roots and there- 

 fore felt no fear of injuring the vines, having firm faith that they would keep clear of 

 him till he was ready for them. 



I have for several days past boon engaged in enlarging my border, adding six feet 

 in width and making it considerably deeper than the portion which was first made, 

 digging in towards the house till I came to roots. This morning I came to the 

 remains of the horso above mentioned, and was first notified of it by coming upon a 

 mass of rich mold in the midst of the yellow subsoil, deeper down than the other 

 border, and filled with fibrous roots. I immediately changed my spade for a trowel, 

 and began a careful examination. All the earth where the body had lain was like a 

 veiy rich garden mold — 7nuch more mellow and friable than the yelloic soil arotind it 

 — and all this mold was filled with vine roots, large and small, in the healthiest possi- 

 ble condition, while every bone was enveloped with a perfect net-work of gauze-like 

 fibres. I continued my examination further, perhaps, than was proper for the health 



