440 



MONTHLY JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURE. 



torn of the border, as also shown in section. 

 When this was completed, dwarf walls, 

 marked 3, were built across the border. 3^ 

 ieet apart, 1 foot square, in the pigeon-hole 

 manner ; on tlie top of these walls are laid 

 rough flags ; these in reality form the bottom 

 of the border, and upon these are placed about 

 fi inches of broken stones and bricks, marked 

 4, then covered with turf with the grassy side 



down, to prevent the soil mixing with the 

 stones. There are flues or chimneys at each 

 end of the border and center, communicating 

 with the drains in the bottom, as .showai in 

 section marked 2. The top of these flues is 

 nicely made of stone 10 inches scpiare, through 

 wliich is cut a hole of G inches square, into 

 whicli is inserted a plug of a wedge-like 

 form, so as to fit tight]y,"but removable at 



GROUND PLAN OF HOUSES, AND SHOWING CROSS-WALLS BENEATH THE VINE BORDERS. 



pleasure ; these flues are about an inch above 

 ground. At the back of the border are placed 

 cast-iron pipes (marked .5), perpendicularly, 

 and also communicating with the drains un- 

 denieath ; those being higher than the flues 

 in front cause a motion in the air beneath the 

 border. After a long continuance of rain, the 

 plugs in the flues in front are taken out, there- 

 by creating a great circulation of air, and thus 

 to a vast extent accelerating the i)roper dry- 

 ing of the borders, which is deemed of much 

 importance. In the winter season, the bor- 

 ders are covered with leaves and stable ma- 

 nure to the di'ptii of 12 inches." 



It is obvious that tlie whole aim of thecon- 

 stnictor of this border was to do that which 

 the foregoing observations show to be so im- 

 pcn-taut. He not only gets nd of superfluous 

 water, but lie introduces air in abundance, 

 and at the same time the natural warmth 

 which it carries with it. In cold or unsuita- 

 ble weather he slops off the excessive admis- 

 sion of air. 



And what is the result of this system ? — 

 Black Hamburgh grapes, weighing from hco 



pounds nine ounces up to five pounds a bunch 

 — beautiful fruit of admirable quality, on vines 

 just seven years old. 



But these principles have a higher applica- 

 tion than the production of gigantic bunches 

 of grapes. Had they no other value, they 

 would be in our eyes of much less importance 

 than we assign them. It is because they ap- 

 ply to all other crops as much as to the vine, 

 that we would most earnestly call attention 

 to them. Nor are they garden crops alone to 

 which we refer. The liirmer is more inter- 

 ested in the application of these principles 

 than even the gardener, inasmuch as his stake 

 in the land is so much higher ; and he will 

 discover, sooner or later, that it is just as pos- 

 sible to grow gigantic wheat crops as enor- 

 mous grapes, if he will but study and learn 

 how to apply the unvarying laws of Nature. 

 If a bunch of grapes can be raised from 1 lb. 

 to .5 lbs., there is nothing in the nature of 

 things to oppose a wheat crop being raised 

 from 20 bushels to 100 ; and it will probably 

 be done. A most valuable school for farmers 

 is the modern garden. 



Longevity of the Donicky. — A dnnkey.bclonging to Mr. Gandey, of Brighton, died lately 

 at the advanced age of a hundred years ! It was a great favorite with its master, and was 

 well }>i-ovided for up to the time of death. 

 (840) 



