98 THE GRAPE CULTURIST. 



it is not desirable to produce such, as it will be trouble- 

 some to keep it in check when we come to train the vine. 



It is better to apply sufficient to give the vines a good 

 start and apply more in after-years as needed. 



There are sections of the country where there are sandy 

 and gravelly soils that are well suited for vineyards, but 

 barnyard manure can not be obtained. If either muck, 

 mud from streams, or leaf-mold can be had, they may be 

 used without the barnyard manure, but they should be 

 placed in heaps where they can be forked over occasionally 

 so that they will become sweetened, as it is termed, before 

 using ; and it is well to mix a quantity of lime or ashes 

 with them, to assist the decomposition. A bushel of salt 

 to every ten or fifteen loads may also be added with benefit. 



Soils that are more compact, such as are called heavy 

 loam, or approaching a clay, do not need so much of tho 

 organic materials as those called light soils, as most of them 

 contain more or less of them ; but they require thorough 

 pulverizing; after which, if a good dressing of well-rotted 

 barnyard manure is added, little more is needed before 

 planting the vine. Any soil that will produce a first-rate 

 crop of corn or potatoes is rich enough for vines. A few 

 shovelfuls of manure, or two or three quarts of bone-dust 

 may be mixed with the soil when the vine is planted, 

 especially if the vine is not one of the strong growing varie- 

 ties. And it may not be out of place to mention here that 

 there is a great difference in the growth of varieties, and 

 the soil should be prepared with reference to this fact. 

 Some kinds would entirely fail upon soils which would be 

 rich enough for others. If we should make the soil rich 

 enough to produce a strong growth on a feeble growing 

 variety, and then plant it with a strong growing one, there 

 would not only be a waste of materials and labor, but the 

 rampant growth produced would be an abomination to the 

 vineyardist when he came to train his vines ; for he not 

 only endeavors to train them, but to control their prowth. 



