VINEYARD AND OUT-DOOR CULTURE. 165 



the violent and sudden changes of weather for which our 

 climate is so proverbial. The following explanation will 

 perhaps show more clearly what is here meant. After 

 making choice of a suitable soil and situation, and making 

 sure that the subsoil is well drained, commence to trench 

 with the spade, or plough deeply the whole piece. If 

 the spade be used and the soil shallow, this operation may 

 be performed as follows : Take out a trench at one side, 

 three feet wide and one spit deep; wheel or cart this to 

 the other end, then loosen up the under soil another spit, 

 break it up well and leave it in the bottom ; throw the 

 next upper crust on the top of this, and so on until all is 

 finished. Where a large extent is to be cultivated, it would 

 become too expensive to trench, and the plough will have 

 to do the work ; in which case, the subsoil plough ought to 

 follow the top loosening. Where the soil is equally good 

 the two spit -deep, the bottom may be turned to the top to 

 advantage. Very little manure will be needed if the earth 

 be in good heart, and well incorporated with vegetable 

 matter, but otherwise it is advisable to work in at the 

 same time, from ten to fifteen tons of decomposed barn- 

 yard dung to the acre ; and if there be a deficiency of the 

 alkaline bases, a dressing of lime and wood ashes will 

 prove very beneficial. Although the roots of the grape 

 vine, when established delight in an open turfy soil, a 

 cross ploughing and harrowing will be required to pul- 

 verize, sufficiently, the soil before planting, and give the 

 young fibres a better chance to lay hold of it at first start. 

 The work, also, ought to be done during the summer or 

 previous early fall, so as to get into good condition by the 

 time it may be wanted. 



There are many cultivators who think it absolutely 

 necessary to choose a side-hill situation for the vineyard, 

 and it must be admitted that such is often the best, but 



