370 AMERICAN GRAPE CULTURE. 



tages apparent, it will not be long before they 

 become somewhat general in the vineyard. If 

 it be first demonstrated on a small scale that 

 the gain is very much more than enough to 

 pay for the additional labor and expense, self- 

 interest, if no other motive, will in time make 

 shelter a necessary appurtenance of the vine 

 yard. To encourage such trial is the object of 

 introducing the illustrations. 



Manures. A few additional words on 

 manures will not be out of place. We should 

 depend chiefly upon barn-yard manure com 

 posted with muck. It should be prepared at 

 least one year before it is used, by being laid up 

 and repeatedly turned, till it has become thor 

 oughly decomposed or carbonized. The leaves 

 from the vines, or some from the woods, should 

 be added to the heap, as may also most other 

 things that go to the barn-yard, but all must be 

 thoroughly decomposed. And let it be always 

 remembered, in saving barn-yard manure, that 

 the liquid is always of very much more value 

 than the solid portion. Besides furnishing in 

 itself the most precious of fertilizing materials, 

 it performs the important office of a solvent, 

 thus rendering available many essential mate 

 rials already in the soil, but which can not be 



