The Manuring of Vineyards. 1G7 



By adding water to quicklime we get slaked lime, and if this 

 is exposed to the atmosphere for a long* time it is changed almost 

 entirely to carbonate of lime in a very tine form. One ton (2000 Ih. of 

 ])ure quicklime contains as much lime as 2642 Ih. of ]inrp shiked lime. 

 ()!■ as much as ;^)5T1 lb. of pure limestone. 



Limestone or carbonate of lime is the mildest form, and is recom- 

 mended for all ordinary soils, especially light soils. The limestone 

 should be very finely ground, and spread at the rate of 2 to 4 tons 

 per morgen every fourth or fifth year. It should be applied early 

 (April-May), and either ploughed in or cultivated in on the ploughed 

 land. Failing this, it may be ax^plied later, at the time of the second 

 ])loughing* in August, but it will not have niucli action in the soil 

 until the following winter. 



Slaked lime should be used only in the case of very heavy soils, 

 or soils containing abundance of liumus (as indicated by a black 

 colour). In this case it is generally more economical to purchase 

 quicklime ('in lumps) and slake it (by adding water) on the farm. 

 Or it may be carted direct to the vineyard, placed in small heaps at 

 regular intervals at the rate of 2 tons per morgen, and allowed to 

 slake of its own accord when the rains come. When the lumps are 

 all fine it should be spread by means of spades and cultivated or 

 plouglied in. 



Where limestone, or lime Avhicli has already been slnked, is to 

 be applied, a lime-spreader may be used if the rows are not too close 

 together. Otherwise the lime may be placed in a basket suspended 

 from a pole carried between two men. I\v gently shaking the basket 

 as the men walk along a fairly even distribution of the lime is 

 ftbtained. 



Liming is particularly necessary in connection with the use of 

 large quantities of kraal or stable manure, and with the practice of 

 green manuring. In the former case it should be applied shortly 

 after the manure has been ploughed in, and the vineyard then culti- 

 vated. In the case of green manuring, several alternatives are open. 

 Where convenient, it is an excellent plan to spread the lime before 

 sowing the peas, as this will encourage a more luxuriant growth of 

 green manure. Otherwise the lime may be applied at the time of 

 ploughing under the green crop, either immediately before, wlien 

 it will be spread over the pea crop and ploughed in togethe]' with tlie 

 lattei', oi' shortly after turning undei' the peas. 



MaNUEIAL ExPKTiljSIKNTS IN THE ViNEYAKD. 



As previously pointed out, our vineyard soils are of many 

 different types in the different districts. For this reason it is very 

 likely that the system of fertilizing which gives the best results in 

 Paarl district, say, will not be the best or most enconomical in 

 Robertson district, and so on. 



Analysis of the vineyard soils will help us to decide upon the 

 most suitable fertilizer for a particular soil, but the only really 

 leliable method is by means of actual manurial experiments, oucli 

 experiments are very easily carried out and do not involve nuu'h 

 extro irouble. Every vinegrower sliould devote a [)ortion of his 



