$& 



£**? 



ON VINERIES. 



Frost, gardener to Earl Fortescue, Dropmore, near Wind- 

 sor Castle, winning the first prize at Chiswick, about 26 

 or 27 years ago, by operating upon the vine border (an 

 old one) in the following manner. He constructed a 

 very powerful galvanic battery after Sir Humphry 

 Davy's plan ; and in order to make the experiment less 

 expensive, he collected the electricity from the atmo- 

 sphere adjacent to the vinery. After the zinc plates 

 had been put in the vine border at various depths, the 

 wires were arranged and the circuit of electricity com- 

 pleted. This was followed by a slow sustaining action 

 of decomposition, which went on until the grapes were 

 ripe; and the result was, that through their skilful manage- 

 ment they succeeded in winning the first prize. 



The words, sustaining action of decomposition, I 

 value much ; their meaning gives me perpetual interest 

 and pleasure. In agriculture, as in horticulture, every 

 farmer and gardener who ploughs and digs deeply, and 

 manures his land judiciously, without giving it too 

 much or too little, will not regret the careful study 

 of this subject, as he may rest assured the results which 

 will follow will amply repay him for the care and 

 trouble he has taken. Most people interested in agri- 

 culture know that successful gardeners make good 

 farmers : this arises through their knowing how to 

 check the powerful action of decomposition at the right 



period of the plant's growth. 



24 



