112 On the Formation of Vine Borders. 



The whole length of the house was 135 feet, in three divis- 

 ions, of 45 feet each. The border was taken out 12 feet 

 broad, and 3 feet deep in front, sloping upwards towards the 

 back wall. The subsoil was a stiff cold retentive clay. A 

 drain, one foot deep, was cut along the front, and cross ones 

 every twelve feet, running into it; drain tiles were laid in the 

 bottom, and then filled with stones, broken bricks, &:c. ; a 

 layer of the same material was then laid over the whole 

 border, to the depth of two feet, on which was placed 

 fresh turves closely together, with their grassy side down- 

 wards ; flag-stones were placed perpendicularly all round the 

 side of the border, and cash division was partitioned oS in the 

 same manner ; a complete box was thus formed for each 

 house, so that no intrusion could take place from the roots of 

 the one into the other, yet so thoroughly drained, that satu- 

 ration was impossible. An equal depth, about two feet, was 

 given to each, so that the border, when finished, was about 

 one foot higher than the rest of the ground. The respective 

 divisions were then filled as follows : — 



No. 1. Consisted of one half turves, from an old pasture, 

 cut three or four inches thick, the other half being dead car- 

 casses of animals, fish, blood, bones, and other putrid sub- 

 stances; the whole mixed as well as could be with the 

 turves ; a barrowful of leaf mould was placed round the 

 roots of each vine, when planted. 



No. 2. Consisted of two thirds of turves, as above mentioned, 

 one third made up of equal portions of good dung and leaf 

 mould ; ten bushels of broken bones, and two barrowfuls or 

 more of whole ones were mixed with the mass. In this, the 

 vines Averc planted. 



No, 3. This division was made up with the turves alone, 

 without any thing whatever mixed with them. The vines 

 were all planted on one day. The turves, in each case, were 

 chopped up into pieces, not less than 3 or 4 inches square. 

 The vines were planted outside the house, and taken through 

 the front wall. No artificial heat was applied. Each house 

 contained pretty nearly the same kinds, consisting chiefly of 

 Black Hamburghs, and Muscats. The plants were one year 

 old, from eyes of the previous season. Such were the bor- 

 ders, and now for the results : — 



