3*22 DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE, ETC. 



moisture, which is destruction to the roots of the vine. The 

 celebrated Brassin, conductor of the royal vinery of France, 

 used to practise enriching his vine borders with exciting ma- 

 nures : he now finds that cleansing of ditches, grass-turf, and 

 r^ad sweepings, mixed well together and allowed to ferment 

 for a year, is far preferable. He now uses it entirely as an 

 annual dressing; but, in our opinion, this cannot be con- 

 tinued for any length of time unless the border is also yearly 

 reduced; consequently, manures xbat are of slow decomposi- 

 tion are preferable, and nothing that we are acquainted with 

 excels bones of every description ; but these are not always 

 at hand in quantity. When to be obtained they should al- 

 ways be put to a good purpose; an annual winter top-dressing 

 of manure of a few inches, and the roughest removed in the 

 spring, digging" in the remainder not over four inches deep, 

 which will encourage the roots to the surface, where they 

 will be greatly benefited by solar heat and air. Liquid 

 manures are highly valuable where immediate effect is re- 

 quired : they contain all the soluble parts of manure in such 

 a state as to admit of being taken up by the plant as soon as 

 applied. These are urine, which may be used pure any time 

 from the first of November to February, when the ground is 

 not frozen ; but if used at any other period, must be diluted 

 with its equal quantity of water. Drainings of manure 

 heaps and soap-suds can be used at all times, but not too fre- 

 quently. Soot dissolved in water, in the proportion of one to 

 twelve, is an exceedingly strong manure, and very stimulating. 

 Guano dissolved in water at the rate of 20 Ibs. to 100 gallons 

 is a first rate manure. Where great growth is required, they 

 may be safely watered once a week, during the growing sea- 

 son, with the enriched liquid ; but all these exciting manures 

 must be cautiously applied, as excess is very injurious to the 

 fertility of the vine; and although one of the grossest feeders 

 in nature, even possessing the appetite of a glutton, it can be 

 satiated and destroyed. 



DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE OF GRAPES MOST SUITABLE FOR 

 OPEN AIR CULTURE. 



Golden Chasselas, Chasselas de Fontainlleau, D'Arloy^e, 

 or Royal Murcadine. Bunches medium size, with very small 



