68 YALE AGRICULTURAL LECTURES. 



The following directions he gave us for preparing a grnpe-bor- 

 der in the best manner (our readers will remember that the 

 term "border" is applied to any plot of ground longer than 

 wide, which is to be devoted to grapes) : 



For a trellis of vines, more than twelve feet of width is un 

 necessary, and one-third less will answer very well ; and it is 

 desirable, but not indispensable, that half of the twelve feet 

 should be prepared before planting. If only a width of three 

 feet is prepared, three feet more should be added the next sen- 

 son. To prepare the border immediately, the unfertile soil 

 that lies beneath must be removed, and fertile soil put in its 

 place. To do this, a trench two feet wide is made to the depth 

 of the mold, or fertile soil, which we will suppose to be one 

 foot; if more than that, so much the better. Now, to make 

 the border two feet deep, which is the least admissible, one 

 foot of the subsoil must be removed. If grounds are of con 

 siderable size, this may be spread over the surface of a portion, 

 so that it shall not be more than two inches in depth, and plow 

 ed or worked in without any immediate damage, but with ulti 

 mate benefit, particularly if manure is used at the same time. 

 Into the bottom of this trench the fertile soil of the adjoining 

 two feet is put, and, if it can readily be had, a compost of leaf- 

 mold, or muck, or any vegetable decay, and well-rotted stable 

 manure, thoroughly mixing the mass as it goes in. If sods 

 from a rich pasture can be had, they may be thrown in with 

 the compost to the depth of fourteen or sixteen inches for every 

 foot of subsoil removed, and then the fertile soil from the next 

 two feet put upon the top. Repeat this process until the bor 

 der of required dimensions is made, and finish by putting into 

 the last trench the soil that was taken from the first. If sods 

 and compost are not used, other fertile soil must be obtained from 

 adjoining ground, or some other quarter, to replace the subsoil 

 that has been removed. At the completion of the operation, 

 the ground of the border will be found to be some inches higher 

 than the adjoining ground, but in two years it will settle to 



