ON THE TREATMENT OF VINES 55 



same description of soil, and " mulched " with half-rotten 

 manure, finishing with an application of water at a tem- 

 perature of 140 deg. 



I am now referring to an inside border, but should 

 the vines be planted in a new section of an outside 

 border, a covering of fermenting material, consisting of 

 about equal parts of stable manure and leaves, which 

 has been thrown together a few weeks previously and 

 turned over a couple of times during the interval, 

 should be laid on in addition to the mulch already ad- 

 vised. This covering, by warming the surface of border, 

 will promote root action earlier than would otherwise be 

 the case, the roots pushing upwards into the slightly 

 heated manure, to the ultimate advantage of the vines. 

 The latter should be treated as advised for young vines, 

 and planted out in the same year as struck. This system 

 of covering vine borders, especially in the case of vines 

 growing in outside borders, which are " started " at the 

 end of November or during the three following months 

 with a view to obtaining ripe grapes early in April and 

 during the summer months, is an old and excellent one 

 when carried out with intelligence and care. In the case 

 of the early forcing of vines under the conditions indicated, 

 the covering of fermenting material laid on the border in 

 November and the three following months should be from 

 eighteen to twenty-four inches deep, and be renewed 

 several times during that interval of time by taking away 

 some of the old and replacing with fresh fermenting 

 dung and leaves. 



ON THE TREATMENT OF VINES FIRST YEAR 



The vinery should be damped down well every morning 

 and afternoon, and at about I P.M., in order to counteract 

 the somewhat parching influence of strong sunshine. The 

 vines should be syringed overhead, both morning and 

 afternoon, and moisture should be distributed over the 



