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FRUIT BOOK. 



vines, is from Wilhelm Ruff, who says, " that for the 

 last ten years, I have been unable to place dung on 

 my vineyard, because I am poor, and can buy none. 

 But I was very unwilling to allow my vines to decay, 

 as they are my only source of support in my old age ; 

 and I often walked very anxiously among them, with- 

 out knowing what I should do. At last, my neces- 

 sities became greater, which made me more attentive, 

 so that I remarked that the grass was longer in some 

 spots, where the branches of the vine fell, than on 

 those where there were none ; so I thought upon 

 the matter, and then said to myself, if these branches 

 can make the grass strong and green, they must also 

 be able to make my plants grow better, and become 

 strong and green. I dug, therefore, my vineyard as 

 deep as if I would put dung into it, and cut the 

 branches into pieces, placing them in the holes, and 

 covering them with earth. In a year I had the very 

 great satisfaction to see my barren vineyard become 

 quite beautiful. This plan I continued every year, 

 and now my vines grow splendidly, and remain the 

 whole summer, green, even in the greatest heat. All 

 my neighbors wonder very much how my vineyard 

 is so rich, and that I obtain so many grapes from it ; 

 and yet they all know that I have put no dung upon 

 it for ten years." 



This proves, says Liebig, that a vineyard may be 

 retained in fertility without the application of animal 

 matter, when the leaves and branches pruned from 

 the trees, are cut into small pieces and used as a 

 manure. 



