106 



and is probably within the bounds. However, if an 

 error, it is one on the safe side, and it will yet require 

 much more experience to say how much farther it 

 may be carried, but we know, from long practice, 

 that nothing is gained by over-strong doses ; they 

 occasion a sort of vegetable dyspepsia, which shows 

 plainly that nature's bounds have been exceeded. 



Mr. Spencer, of Bowood, however, a clever and 

 most experienced gardener, goes a much greater 

 length in the liquid manure way. Mr. Spencer re- 

 commends the Black Hamborough, and the Muscadine 

 and Sweetwater, for early work. We quite agree 

 with him. Those who are not in a hurry, however, 

 will do well to try the Muscat of Alexandria ; this, 

 although much later, will be found to succeed admi- 

 rably. The Muscat is a vine that will not bear such 

 a close " stopping" system ; and many of the failures 

 in the cultivation of this prince of grapes are to be 

 attributed to this close stopping, or, in other words, 

 to the want of more foliage. 



Having made these preliminary observations, we 

 will now proceed to a further detail of the various 

 stages in this mode of culture. 



Raising Plants. — This is done either from eyes, or 

 from shoots coiled within the pots, or from layers. 



By Eyes. — Procure eyes (or buds) of the required 

 kinds, from some known good bearing vines, taking 

 care to have the wood perfectly hard and ripe, with 



