The Mne in Europe — Manures. 



333 



substances exclusively used hasten the 

 decay of vineyards and the exhaustion 

 of the soil. We have a report, from 

 Baron von Lielfig, of the exhaustion 

 of a vineyard at Bingen, on the 

 Ehine, through the exclusive use of 

 horn scrapings. The result at first 

 seemed good, but after a few years 

 the growth and production decreased 

 rapidly. The extra growth induced 

 by the horn scrapings had divested 

 the soil of all its potash without re- 

 turning any. 



Nitrogenous manures also increase 

 in the grape the proportion of albu- 

 minous and mucilaginous matters, 

 and correspondingly diminish the 

 saccharine element ; the wine con- 

 tains less alcohol, and is consequently 

 more subject to alteration. In fact, 

 sugar-producing plants never want 

 strongl}" nitrogenous manures^ and 

 sugar makers are aware that beets 

 manured with highly nitrogenous 

 compounds, although more bulk}', con- 

 tain less sugar and more organic 

 matters, to the detriment of the man- 

 ufacture. 



THIRD PROCESS. 



It consists in returning to the soil 

 the residuum of the fabrication, or 

 supplying it with lignous and fibrous 

 elements. A very good process in 

 itself, it is nevC^rtheless insufficient. 

 What is needed is a manure in which 

 potash is abundant. Ashes, chiefly 

 those obtained from the incineration 

 of the canes themselves, to be used 

 either alone or mixed with lime, are, 

 in my opinion, the best manure for 

 vineyards. 



The learned researches of Persoz 

 have demonstrated that for the produc- 



tion of grapes the salts of potash stand 

 unrivaled. 



In too many localities In Europe the 

 vine prunings and croppings are used 

 as common fuel, and even the ashes 

 are employed for domestic or indus- 

 trial purposes. AVhence, then, shall 

 potash be obtained in sufficient quan- 

 tity,at prices accessible to all vintners? 

 Various sources of supplj-have already 

 been resorted to in different countries 

 with gratifying success. 



At Deidesheini, on the Rhine, 

 where the extensive vineyards are 

 famous for the qualitj- of their wines, 

 the vintners are wont to use decom- 

 posed basalt. 



Immense beds of potassic salts have 

 lately been discovered at Stassfurt, 

 Germany and have been used in Ger- 

 man vineyards with excellent results. 

 These salts can be concentrated so as 

 to 3'ield 80 per cent, of sulphate of 

 potash. Their cost at Stassfurt is 

 about $3 per 100 lbs. 



The residuum or waste of salt works, 

 after the extraction of the marine salt, 

 will yield sulphate of potash in the 

 proportion of about 30 per cent. The 

 cost at the French and Italian salt 

 works is about $1.50 per 100 lbs. 



Professor Bechi, in endeavoring to 

 procure for Tuscany sulphate of pot- 

 ash at a cheaper rate, discovered near 

 Follonica a supply of sulphate which 

 will amply meet the wants of Italian 

 vintners. It is a rocky formation 

 called alumnite, which contains 25 per 

 cent, of potash. The pure sulphate 

 Will not cost over one cent a pound 

 after paying the expenses of quarr}^- 

 ing, blasting and parching. This last 

 operation is required to render the 

 sulphate more soluble, and secure the 



