66 BRIGHT ON GRAPE CULTURE. 



bushels of loached ashes. Turn over this heap twice, 

 moistening it well with water, if not wet by rain, and 

 waiting till it becomes pretty dry before turning. Be 

 very careful and not turn the heap when in the least 

 degree wet. The dryer the better, for turning and chop- 

 ping. In fact this compost should be made under a 

 shed, or covered with boards, if exposed to too much 

 rain. Now add to this compost of about twenty horse- 

 loads, say five one-horse loads of well-rotted stable 

 manure, horse and cow dung, or its equivalent of any 

 rich nitrogenous compost; and ten horse loads of soft, 

 rotten rock of a limestone or micaceous character, and 

 sand } or rotten rock and sandy road-scrapings from a 

 turnpike. If you choose to add ten to twenty bushels 

 of finely crushed bones, or" one or two barrels of good 

 super-phosphate of lime, or our special fertilizer, it will 

 be useful, although the bones will serve little other use 

 than as a substitute for sand, and the super-phosphate 

 of lime or fertilizer may be better applied upon the sur- 

 face of the border when needed. Let your vines, at 

 first, rest in- good natural soil, well manured, and they 

 will form plenty of vigorous wood; afterwards apply 

 special fertilizers, as needed, to produce and perfect the 

 fruit, and the highest success will be attained. 



Put no carcasses of animals, offal of slaughter-houses, 

 night soil, guano, or any rich animal matter, or other 

 stimulating manure into or under the border, beyond 

 what we have advised ; although if the stable manure 

 be poor, it may be made a little richer by the addi- 



